A Series of Unfortunate Dates
by sydney563
Summary: Bo and Lauren both hate blind dates, and yet their friends keep setting them on one. With each other, this is a short multichapter one shot! Written in collaboration with WritingSux. Is rated M for sassy mouths and maybe intense kissing.
1. Chapter 1

SN: Here it is, the first chapter of a short collaboration between WritingSux and I. We both decided we needed a quick break from our complex stories until our brains wanted to write again. So be patient as our other updates are slow to come, trust me, you will thank us for this. Each of us are writing a character's POV, ya'll will probably guess who is who...but eh, its all fun. The ooooooOOOOooo signifies pov change

And on that, enjoy A Series of Unfortunate Dates!

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Blind dates.

Blind dates in my book are worse than any zombie outbreak, the four horsemen of the apocalypse falling out of the sky and casting humanities final judgment upon the planet. Blind dates are worse than root canals, yearly pap smears and I would much rather have both done at the same time, then go on a blind date.

Yet, here I was sitting across from my best friend in my office, staring at her like she had just shit in my coffee cup, listening to her tell me the details of the blind date I would be going on this Saturday night.

"Bo, seriously, this is going to be amazing! This girl Tony knows, she's totally hot. He even showed me a picture of her, and you're going to love her!" Roxie waved her hands around, "She owns her own business, is smart like a doctor and funny." She grinned at me, waggling her eyebrows.

I sighed heavily, dropping the pencil in in my hands to the desk, moving the new project I started and Roxie had interrupted, out of the way, "Roxie, you know I don't do blind dates or even normal dates. I have given up on dating in general." Crossing my legs, I stared out on to the cityscape view provided by the windows of my fortieth floor office. "I don't even know Tony, I never met him, and how could he possibly know my tastes in women or men?"

Roxie set the stack of files in her hand on to her lap, "You met Tony at my birthday last year. He asked you out and I do remember you telling him you only dated women." She squinted at me, "And this whole last month you have been crabbing about never finding a pearl in the sea of bodies."

I furrowed my brow, "I am pretty sure I would never say something like that." I reached for the pewter model of a B-17 perched at the edge of my desk. Filling my hands as I wanted to focus on anything other than my love life, or lack of.

"No, you didn't. Bo McCorrigan is more likely to say something meaner and less romantic." Roxie winked at me as I scowled, "Anyways, Tony and I had drinks last week and he has a friend who has given up and I have a friend who has given up, two negatives make a positive." She ripped off a piece of memo pad, scribbling away in blue ink, "This is the time, the place and what your date will be wearing."

I squinted again at her scribbles, "No name?"

She shook her head, smirking, "Nope, Tony and I thought it would be far more intriguing if we did the whole shebang of blind dates." Roxie tapped the piece of paper before tossing it at me, "Your date will be wearing a Guns and Roses t-shirt and she will be looking for the foxy brunette in the ratty ass Madonna Who's that Girl tour, shirt."

I opened my mouth in awe, "That shirt is one of my most prized possessions!" I peered at the address of the blind date, groaning when I saw what it was and why my date and I were wearing vintage t-shirts. "Imperial? The hipster bar slash distillery slash taco joint slash hipster hangout?" I gave my best friend a dirty look, "I hate hipsters, and you know this." I pointed at her with the tail end of the B-17, "You do know this? Right? Please tell me that you and Tony didn't set me up with a hipster?"

Roxie winked, shrugging at me, "Guess you will have to find out." She twirled on her heels and headed out of my office, shouting over her shoulder, "Live a little and get laid a lot, Bo! Times a ticking and you're definitely not getting any younger."

I slammed the B-17 down on the top of the desk, groaning and crumpling the paper in my hands.

A pap smear root canal combo was sounding better and better.

 _ **Saturday-**_

My jaw clenched on its own as I stood in a sea of hipsters milling on the street outside of Imperial. One glance inside the bar and I felt my jaw clench to the point it should have seized up. The bar was packed with people, and ninety percent of them were hipsters.

I glanced at my Madonna t-shirt, unzipping the leather jacket so the front of it could be easily spotted by my date, and then sucked in a breath and entered the busy bar. Getting smiles and nods from bearded boys and girls in large black framed glasses. I smiled back, I didn't necessarily hate the people indulging in the hipster ways, I just hated that as a thirty three year old, I felt old and out of place around hipsters. Kids who weren't even born or alive long enough to truly understand the things they now called vintage.

I rolled my eyes, maybe I was getting old and crotchety with every day I was alone. Work was my only constant companion since I moved to New York for the promotion, leaving one relationship behind since it lacked the spark I craved deep down. I ran my sweaty palms down the front of my fitted dark jeans, scanning the crowd for a tall blonde in a Guns and Roses t-shirt. I spotted two blondes in a Nirvana shirt, one blonde in a Radiohead shirt and then an almost blonde with crazy dark roots wearing a Pet Shop Boys shirt, but no Guns and Roses.

Pushing through the crowd at the bar, I moved to the back open air patio where the crowd was much thinner and I could easily scan without issuing apologies or throwing out polite I'm not interested smiles. Just as I was about to call it a night and turn back, my eye caught a tall blonde standing at the edge of the patio, looking out on the Hudson River and the impressive view it offered. She turned ever so slightly, looking back at the door I walked through, the Guns and Roses logo blazing across her chest.

I took the opportunity of still being in the shadows to look over my blind date. She was gorgeous, beautiful and elegant. Her long blonde hair was down; hiding what I could tell was a long neck that connected with an incredible jaw line that had me unconsciously biting my bottom lip. My eyes traveled the rest of the way, taking in the very in shape body she carried, leaving me to take guesses that she was either a runner or a swimmer, both agreeable sports in my mind. Either way, my blind date was hot, gorgeous and taking a step closer to her, she could even fall into the stunning category.

I grew nervous out of nowhere the longer I stared at the woman, building the final courage up as her eyes swung my way and landed on Madonna's face perched on top of my chest. The blondes face broke into a sheepish grin, her head tilting down at the drink in her hands. I smiled, tugging on the edges of my jacket and made my way over to my date.

Grinning, I stopped in front of the blonde, waving my hand at the front of her shirt, "You must be my date, Guns and Roses?"

The blonde nodded at my shirt, "And you must be mine, Madonna." She smirked in a way that started to put this blind date one slot above root canal. She held out her hand, "Hi, my name is Lauren, Tony's friend."

I took her hand, grinning more at how firm her handshake was, "I'm Bo, Roxie's friend."

Lauren laughed, rolling her eyes, "Ah yes, Roxie. She's quiet vivacious." Lauren stared at me for a second, I could tell her eyes wanted to roam over my tight jeans and even tighter Madonna t-shirt, but she only went as far as my lips before returning to eye contact. "Um, the hostess said five more minutes for a table, would like a drink?" She held up a small rocks tumbler halfway filled with a deep brown liquid, I could smell the whiskey from where she was, telling me it was one of the expensive hipster brands that lined the lighted mirrors back at the interior bar.

I sighed, mildly hating when people bought the sales pitch at these places. The staff suggesting local, oak aged, hand distilled, blah blah blah, whiskey that was four times the price of the tried and true boys named Jack, Jim and Jameson. I had a minute sinking feeling and chased it away by smiling, "Yea, sure, I could go for a cocktail."

Lauren smiled, pointing to the side bar, "That bar isn't as crowded."

I let her lead me to the side bar where a bearded man, who looked like he belonged in the forests of Manitoba and not a bar in Manhattan, greeted us. "Hey ladies, what can I get you tonight?"

I smiled genially, "I think I will have a Vodka and cranberry to start." I glanced at Lauren, "How about you?"

She shook her head, holding up her half full glass, "Still nursing the first one." I turned back to the bearded one as he asked if I wanted top shelf or well. I shrugged, "You pick."

The beard winked at me and started rambling, "I am going to make you a drink with this new Vodka we just got in. It's from the Ignis Aqua distillery and it is impeccable." He kept on, highlighting the chemical structure and taste of the super fancy and in my opinion, the super hipster Vodka. I had heard of Ignis Aqua from Roxie over and over, raving about the new distillery and how it was local, organic and blah blah. All I knew was that it was overpriced booze and I knew my Vodka and cranberry would be about fifteen dollars, making me want to recant asking for dealer's choice.

Finally my drink was handed my way and I took a sip, cringing at the strong taste of the Vodka, "Phew, that's some...that's different." I chuckled looking up at Lauren who had an eyebrow cocked in my direction, "You don't like vodka, Bo?"

I shrugged, "I do, but I tend to stick to the Russians. They seem to know how to make it better than fancy bootlegger wannabes in upstate New York. This Ignis Aqua brand is trying too hard." I watched her smile fade a tiny bit, making that sinking feeling grow. I went to ask Lauren a question or two that would give me the answers if I was on a blind date with a hipster or not, when the hostess walked up on us.

"Excuse me, Lauren? Your table for two is ready." The girl gave us a shy grin, hiding behind massive black framed glasses and a hairstyle I had put behind me when I was eleven and high bangs were awesome. "Follow me?"

Lauren's smile returned and she held out her arm, "After you, Bo." I smiled, the woman was easy on the eyes and every time she smiled, it made me want to smile a little more. I had also noticed that Lauren had fantastic lips and a smooth voice that made me think about how it would sound on a morning after.

The hostess guided us to a table up on the elevated section of the patio, handing over menus and smiling after telling us our server would be up in a minute. Sitting down, I pulled off my leather jacket, smirking when I caught Lauren's eyes fall below the chin line and fall on my chest. I stretched a bit, accentuating the girls. I couldn't help it; I liked catching the woman staring and wanted to give her incentive to continue. "So, should we do the awkward first date questions, Lauren?"

She tore her eyes away from the top of Madonna's head and met my eyes, her cheeks flushing in the cutest way, "Maybe? I mean of course we should stay away from the politics, religion and well, clearly sexual preference would be inane to ask."

I raised an eyebrow, something about her tone struck me odd, "Are you saying just because I am on a date with a woman that I am a lesbian?" I picked up my drink; cringing again at how the vodka was still too much.

"Oh no, I'm just saying Bo, that you are clearly open minded." Lauren cleared her throat, taking a large sip of her whiskey, "I apologize, and I am a bit iffy on the conversation starters." She smiled softly, "Tony always tells me that I have a robotic quality about me upon first impression." Lauren nodded at my shirt, "Madonna? You a big fan?"

I laughed at the horrible way she transition the conversation, she was gorgeous but she was a fumbly one. "I am." I glanced down at the shirt, "This is an original. My first concert was Madonna when I was eight and this shirt has hung on my wall until about five years ago and I could actually fit into it." I waved my hand around the crowd around us, "These kids will never know what it's like to experience the world they adapted their fashion style after."

Lauren cocked her head, "They are just embracing what we did with the Beatles, Grateful Dead and what not when we were in high school."

I smiled tightly, the sinking feeling becoming quicksand, "Maybe." It was now my turn to change the subject, "So, what do you do for work and how do you know Tony?" I was hoping that talking about work and life would take this conversation somewhere less tense.

She set her whiskey down, "I am in sales and Tony works for me on the side helping with marketing and design work." The blonde paused, running her finger around the edge of the glass as she looked up at me, "What about you?"

I shrugged, choosing to play the same vague game she was. This woman was giving off the vibe that even though she was hot as hot could get, she was an ice princess. Playing the give and take game but controlling every aspect. "I work in the airline industry. Particularly for PacEast Consolidated."

Lauren's eyebrows rose as she heard the name of the largest and most successful airline and aircraft magnate in the world. She smirked, "I bet you make quite the impression on the flights." She leaned back in the chair, picking up her glass, "I have heard the vodka you think is "different" signed a contract with PacEast to be the sole in flight liquor vendor for their first class flights."

I felt my smile fade. I knew what her comment was hinting at, I leaned forward on the table, "And what do you mean by me making quite the impression on flights?"

She shrugged, "I meant as a flight attendant, everyone I have ever met who told me they work in the airline industry, is generally a flight attendant. I hear it's a decent career." Lauren smiled genuinely, feeling that her assumption was correct.

I blew out an irritated laugh. She had managed to underhandedly insult me twice, on top of the hipster vibe I was getting off of her, well, root canal just shifted spots again. I nodded, folding my arms against my chest, "Have you ever flown on PacEast? Lauren?"

"Yes, a multitude of times. I travel a lot for work and they are the best airline." She sipped her overpriced whiskey, "Mainly international flights though." I could see her move to ask if I was on the domestic route or the international one, when I laughed and cut her off before she even started.

"International. So, you have probably flown on the new 797 PacEast uses for all international flights?" I pushed my drink away; I was about three more jackass comments away from leaving Lauren and calling Roxie and telling her off for setting me up on a blind date.

"I actually have, many times. It's a beautiful airplane and impressive that an airline company had the balls to go to a hybrid fuel source and still provide the luxury of the others." Lauren smiled, "Have you flown on the 797 yet?"

I sighed heavily, "I have, yes. About thirty or so times. I was even on its maiden flight. Sat right next to the captain and the CEO of PacEast." I leaned further on the table as Lauren's eyes became curious, about to ask how a simple flight attendant would have such privilege, "You see, Lauren and your assumptions, I am not a flight attendant, I'm an aeronautical engineer and the woman, the engineer who designed the 797 from the ground all the way up to the cushy leather seats you sit in on your international flights. I even designed the hybrid fuel system that is now sweeping the airline industry. I know Tony and Roxie refused to share names, but you can go ahead and look me up, since I can see you don't believe me." I pulled out my phone, "Here use my phone and search Ysabeau McCorrigan, aeronautical engineer. The New York Times did an expansive piece on PacEast and the 797 when it came out."

I smiled tightly staring at the blonde, whose face was an odd mix of pale white and bright red, trying hard not to throw in a go fuck you and your assumptions, down on the table.

Root canal just took the lead and the win for the night.

* * *

 **oooOOOooooo**

I sat there looking at the woman sitting across from me. I had insulted not only her intelligence but also her position at the airline company. Goddammit. I hate blind dates. I get nervous and have to feign being cordial when I really don't want to. Not to mention the severe case of verbal diarrhea that I seemed to exhibit. I wasn't fit to be around other people socially. I should have talked my way out of this when Tony told me he and Roxie set me up on a blind date. Their intentions were in the right place but I honestly the two of them were nosy and interfered in matters that didn't concern them. I was fine getting my own dates but between getting the distillery company up and running it wasn't a main focus. Bo was still waiting for me to say something and I swore internally before fumbling, "I-I-I-" I still had nothing so I went with the best thing for the situation, "Sorry."

There was an awkward silence between us and I stared down at the menu even though I knew it like the back of my hand considering me and the owner had been friends for years so I helped her with the menu. I had to say something that would rectify my severe case of foot in mouth.

I took a chance and glanced up at Bo who was studying the menu with a disinterested look on her face. I may have had a severe case of being presumptuous but this woman seemed to have an over-inflated ego that was rubbing me the wrong way. I looked back down at the menu and surmised that woman probably was used her unapproachable nature as a way to keep people from really knowing her. If that was the case why the hell didn't she just tell Roxie and Tony to fuck off when they approached her about the blind date? I shook my head then stated, "The Asian chicken tacos are pretty good." Bo glared at me and rolled my eyes and muttered, "Or not." If this was how the rest of the date was going to go then we might as well call it a night right now.

The waitress came over and I recognized her and she smiled at me, "Lauren how have you been?"

I smiled at her and set the menu down on the table, "I've been great Samantha. How have you been?"

"I can't complain much. Hey Tony told me about your big airline deal he's so stoked about it. Are you out celebrating? If so I know of this great new band that playing on the Lower East Side. They're real mellow and it's a small venue so not a lot of people." Samantha told me with a flirtatious smirk. We had dated briefly when the restaurant had started and even though we had similar taste she was a bit more free-spirited than I was.

I pointed at Bo and I tried to hide my reluctance as I managed to say, "I am uh...actually on a date."

Samantha then realized that there was another person sitting at the table with me and she exclaimed, "Oh wow. I am so sorry."

Bo set her menu down and said in a pointed tone, "Oh no please continue acting like I'm not here."

I scoffed and rolled my eyes, "Oh calm down Bo. She's just excited for me. Get the stick out of your ass."

Bo gawked at me and Samantha looked a little surprised by my choice of words too but Bo's attitude was annoying me and she was lashing out at Samantha for no reason. I wasn't going to let her sit there and take whatever her problem was out on an innocent bystander. Bo got up and said, "I think it's time for me and my stick to go home. I would say it has been an enjoyable night but then I would be lying."

I watched her walk away from the table. I had half the mind to tell her that if she turned down the bitch factor the night would have gone better but I was going to let her go because I didn't want to waste any more time on Bo McCorrigan. I was brought back to reality when Samantha remarked, "God what an asshole. How did you end up on a date with her?"

I took a sip of my drink and chuckled, "Your boss's friend set me up on a blind date with her. Apparently his girlfriend or whoever she is, works with her and they thought it would be a good idea. I'm not certain what Roxie and Tony were smoking at the time but he will be hearing about it tomorrow."

Samantha laughed and commented, "I'm certain he will. Are you still ordering or are you going to get out of here?"

I smirked and looked a Samantha. What's a little flirting between friends? "I'll get the Asian chicken tacos. Also when do you get off? Maybe we can go check out that band."

Samantha grinned and pointed her pen at me, "No Lauren. I'm not falling for that doe-eyed look."

I gasped and pretended to be appalled, "What doe-eyed look? I was just seeing if you wanted to hang out since my night is a bust."

Samantha shook her head, "Nope. That's not what you're doing and you know it. We'll go to the concert, get drunk then you'll pull the Lewis maneuver and next thing I know we're naked at my place because it's closer."

I wasn't aware of any 'Lewis Maneuver' so I asked, "The Lewis what?"

"The Lewis maneuver." Samantha stated as if that explained everything but it didn't. Luckily she elaborated, "It's when you get sex eyes and flip your hair then bite your lip. People are very susceptible to it."

I laughed and told her, "I do no such thing." I let out an exasperated breath, "Fine then if you don't want to have fun tonight then I'll look elsewhere. But can I have my tacos and a fresh drink please?"

Samantha laughed and she gave my shoulder a quick squeeze as she said, "Sure thing Lauren."

I watched her walk away and I finished off the remainder of my drink and wondered what I was going to be doing with the rest of my night now that my disastrous blind date was over. I should have known that it wasn't going to go well.

 ** _Next Morning_**

I stood on sidewalk in front of the building I had just snuck out of and waiting for Tony to come pick me up because he was my wingman. I was smoking a cigarette I had stolen from the woman whose bed I had just left. I hadn't meant to sleep with her but after I ate I hung out by the bar and once I told her I was the owner of the brand of alcohol she was drinking one thing led to another and we were in a cab coming to her upper Manhattan apartment. I took a hit off the cigarette and as I exhaled the smoke I squinted against the harsh rays of the sun. I should have gone home last night. I wasn't prepared for the walk of shame.

Tony's blue Subaru pulled up to the curb and I mumbled, "Thank fucking god." I took a final hit from the cigarette then tossed it to the ground before getting into the car. I closed the door after I exhaled the smoke from my lungs and Tony scolded, "You're smoking again?"

I pulled the sunglasses from his face and put them on, "We drank a whole bottle of Ignis whiskey silver label." I knew that didn't explain anything to him but that's all I had at the moment. I was hungover and doing the walk of shame. No room for grace. "Also that formula is too strong to be appreciated as a sophisticated whiskey. I need to work on it and the aging process."

He nodded and asked, "So you'll be going to Queens today?"

I ran my finger through my hair and cringed. I needed a hot shower, my comfy ass bed, and a thorough teeth brushing. I rested my head against the head rest, "No. I've got the recipe in my safe at home so I'll look at it then figure out what we need to do to change it. I think we might need to age it longer and older barrels. Might be going barrel hunting in a month or so. I need to go to the warehouse and see how the four years are coming along. Have you drawn up-"

"Hey. Hey. Hey. Wait a minute." I would have turned my head to look at him but my head was throbbing. Adding Advil to the list of things I needed. "Whose apartment were you at?"

I shrugged, "I don't remember. Rebecca, Allyson...maybe Katie."

"What happened with Bo?"

I chuckled if Tony wanted to bring it up then we'd talk about it but I wasn't in the mood to be nice. "She was a cunt Tony. Why you and your-What are you two even?" He just shrugged. I snorted a little, "You should figure that out before you have little Anthony's running around Manhattan. Anyways, she was as frigid as can be and had perpetual resting bitch face. What the hell were you thinking?"

Tony chuckled and admitted, "Just helping you out you know. You landed the contract with the airline. I thought maybe we could move onto the next aspect of your life."

"The next aspect of my life isn't some woman who hasn't had the stick that's in her ass removed since she got that godforsaken Madonna t-shirt." I pointed at him and warned, "No more blind dates. If you set me up on another one I'll be calling your mother and telling her about the peculiar plants in her backyard."

Tony's head snapped towards me, "You wouldn't dare."

I got comfortable in the seat and smiled, "Try me Tone." I realized I had been a bit harsh about Bo so I admitted, "I did call her a flight attendant."

"Lauren you didn't..."

I threw my hand up, "What? I didn't know. You threw me in there blind so I made a complete ass of myself and Samantha was our waiter and..." I shook my head, "Let me put it this way. Everything that could destroy a date seemed to happen last night."

Tony laughed and when he caught his breath he apologized, "I'm sorry Lauren. I won't do it again. I'll let you continue with your walks of shame and less than stellar getaways."

I chuckled and replied, "Thank you for that. See that's the sign of a true friend. I also think she wasn't a fan of my vodka."

Tony gave me a wary look, "The Russians won't even touch your vodka. It's like pure ethanol."

I waved my hand in the air, "Ah they're pussies. Just like you."

He shoved my shoulder and grinned, "At least I'm a pussy who's getting some pussy. You can't say the same."

"Why outsource when I have my own?" I asked him with a shit eating grin on my face.

Tony laughed then asked, "Is it fun to play with your own box or is better to have someone else play with it for you?"

Damn. He had me there. I flicked him off and got a playful scowl on my face, "Fuck you."

We rode in silence for a couple of blocks then Tony asked, "So Sam huh?"

I shook my head and said, "I'm not even going there Tony. Not even."

With the frustration of last night's date out of my system Tony and I were able to joke around the remainder of the drive to my apartment with the understanding that there will be no more blind dates in my future.

 **Tune in next week for episode two!**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: so this thing will be five chapters, WritingSux and i clearly cannot do anything short and easy. So at least you will get a few more chapters of this crazy collaboration. Anyways, we both appreciate the love you have given this story, and don't fret! things may look up in the next chapter...probably not, maybe they will, who knows. With that, here is episode two!**

 **P.s. We don't own anything related to lost girl, just the terrible adventures we put the poor characters on.**

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"Mom, why are you doing this? I thought I was a good kid, I never did anything bad." I groaned, lying on the fluffy rug strewn out in the middle of my home office. I had the phone pressed against my ear, staring up at the ceiling. "I told you about the last blind date I went on two weeks ago, and how it was a train wreck and a natural disaster rolled into one. I'm swearing off blind dates."

"Oh Bo, stop being dramatic. I met your father on a blind date and we got married a month later." My mom was mocking me, "A little adventure is good for you, get you away from those stuffy offices you work in."

I rolled my eyes, sitting up to cross my legs to avoid crumpling the line of drawings I had spread out in front of me, "I have adventure in my life."

"You have a job that keeps you in an office while you build metal birds for the world to fly on. Bo, live a little." My mom didn't give me an inch, continuing on before I could object. "Anyways, I saw Woody on Friday and he told me about one of his best customers. A nice lady who he and I agree would be a good fit for you. She has a good job, creative, well traveled and she's already agreed to go on the date."

I frowned, picking at the edge of my worn sweat shorts, "Glad to know that you and Woody, your woodworking friend, know exactly my type." Yanking at a loose thread, I frowned when it tore the hem up the side, giving my shorts a split up to the top of my thigh, "When and where is this blind date your sending me on?" I moved to pick at the faded image of a P-51 Mustang on the front of the shirt I slept in.

I knew I couldn't debate my mom, she would wear me down with her wisdom and prove herself right. Yes, I did need something in my life that wasn't related to airplanes or airlines, and yes I was beginning to despise my lonely life in the giant brownstone. I couldn't remember the last time I hugged someone that wasn't family, let alone kiss a person. I was becoming the cat lady two houses down, I just needed cats and a wire cart on wheels full of old newspapers and weird groceries.

"Tomorrow, at two pm, you and your blind date will meet at Leone Vineyards for an afternoon of wine tasting a dinner with wine pairings." I could tell she was reading off a brochure by the way her speech was stunted and comical.

"Tomorrow? Mom, that's super short notice!" I leaned on my knees, rubbing my eyes, "I have stuff to do, tomorrow."

"Ha, bullshit Bo. Your Sundays consist of brunch and bloody marys with Roxie and then you retreat into your bedroom, lay in bed all day, watching television shows and avoid taking a shower all day." My mom sighed, "I already gave Woody the other ticket your Aunt Sharon dumped on your Dad on I from last Christmas."

"Why aren't you and Dad going?" I was flushed, my Mom had seen through my bullshit and described all of the "stuff" I had planned for Sunday. Bullshit or not, I really did not want to go on another stupid blind date.

"He and I are going to Boston for the week, I told you this, leaving tomorrow, be back by next Saturday. That and I hate wine." She chuckled, "Get the stick out of your ass Bo and go on the blind date."

I squeezed the phone in my hand, hearing Lauren's voice and my Mom's in that stick up the ass comment, "Can I at least know her name? What does she looks like?"

My Mom laughed harder, "Nope! Woody doesn't have social media let alone a cordless phone, I have no idea what the woman looks like and he only refers to her as Oak, based on the kind of wood she prefers for the barrels he makes her. He doesn't know her name, only described her as a beautiful young lady with ambition and a impressive work ethic." She paused, "Go, Bo, have some wine, some cheese and make a new friend."

I groaned into the phone, knowing I had no way out of this one. "Fine, but if I do this, I don't want to sit next to Uncle Martin at Christmas, he's such a creep."

I hung up after telling my mom I loved her and would pick up the ticket on the way to the vineyard. Throwing the phone on the fluffy rug I stood up, dragging my ass to my bedroom to change into another pair of sweat shorts, wondering if karma was striking back for something I did in the form of blind dates.

At least there would be wine.

* * *

 _ **Sunday Afternoon -**_

The day was unusually warm, the weatherman grinning as he pointed at the smiling sun graphic with a big black 85 on it's yellow chest. I dressed appropriately for the date, but did my best to still look cute in a faded denim shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a pair of jeans that were looser than I normally wore, and my boots. My hair was up in a ponytail due to the building heat and how I hated hair touching my neck when I was hot. I could already feel the irritation grow, only hoping my date was cute and the vineyard had air conditioning somewhere.

Following the signs pointing up the dusty trail to the retail shop for Leone Vineyards, I was greeted by a overly cheery girl in khaki pants and a pale blue polo. "Hi there! Are you here for our summer tasting?"

Nodding, I smiled back, holding up the parchment paper shaped like grapes, "I am."

The girl took the grapes, glancing at the calligraphy numbers on the bottom, "Ah! The other half of your party is already inside!" She scribbled on her clipboard, looking for my name, "Ms. McCorrigan? A few rules about the wine tasting." She waved at me to follow her as she spoke, "Your car keys will be signed over to the concierge, we don't allow guests to leave until after dinner and they are sober. You may drink as much as you like, the food is included and there will be a bag of gifts when you leave. The vineyard tour will start in the east and work it's way to the west bottling rooms. There you will see the process from grapes to wine." She faced me, "My name is Casey and I will be with your tour from start to finish, so please feel free to ask me if you need anything."

"Thank you." I let out a slow breath, starting to ease up when I handed over my car keys to the chipper young lady. This wine tasting actually sounded fun, particularly the part with free endless wine and food.

We entered the large retail shop where ten other couples were milling about taking glasses of red, white and rosea from trays. Everyone seemed to be in a good mood, lightening my mood.

"Ms. McCorrigan? Your friend is right over there by the t-shirts." Casey pointed with her pen.

I looked to see the back of a tall woman, a tall blonde with her hair in a ponytail, staring at the photographs of the vineyard in the 1940's. She was dressed in a white linen shirt that was almost see through, a pair of pale blue linen shorts that gave off a view of long, toned tanned legs that made me smirk.

Casey took a few steps towards the blonde, calling out her name, "Ms. Lewis? The other party has arrived."

I paused at the sound of the last name combined with the blonde turning around to reveal her face, I had pulled her file at PacEast the Monday after our first date. Lauren Lewis, owner of Ignis Aqua.

"Fuck me with a fucking cactus." I mumbled the words out when Lauren made eye contact with me, her smile fading to a frown. I waved at Casey to come back, "Can I get my car keys back? I need to leave."

Casey gave me a playful frown, "I'm sorry, Ms. McCorrigan, I already gave them to the concierge. You were the last to arrive and they have locked the keys up until the end of the tour." She clutched her clipboard, "Is there something wrong?"

"Yes, there is, Ms. McCorrigan has a stick up her ass that I fear no doctor could ever remove." Lauren appeared behind Casey, smirking and sipping pinot.

I scowled, snatching a very full glass of rosea from a passing tray, chugging half the glass in a sip, "There's no stick up my goddamn ass, Lauren." I emphasized every syllable in her name.

Casey held her now fake smile, "Okay then, I need to get the tour started." She shuffled away from Lauren and I, calling the attention of the other happy couples. I tried to ignore Lauren, digging around for my phone to call a cab to get me the hell out of this place.

"No cab will come up here, Ms. McCorrigan, the local ordinance has forbidden modern taxi's to protect the roads for the Amish." She swirled the pinot, "You may have noticed the horse and carriages you passed on the way?"

I growled, my phone had no bars and Lauren was already pissing me off, "I did, thank you, Ms. Lewis." I huffed, turning around to see the tour group exit into the vineyard. "You should probably go, they are starting the tour." I wanted to shout, go and get the hell away from me, but Casey was giving us happy looks and waving for us to join. I had decided to hang back and try to bribe the concierge with free flights or all the money I had in my savings to get my car keys back.

"If you smiled, got rid of the resting bitch face and took the focus off yourself, you might enjoy the company of others." Lauren glared at me, sipping from her glass, "By the way, I did want to apologize for calling you a flight attendant the last time we met. I looked you up, and even though you are a snobbish woman, you are extremely talented."

I grimaced, trying to find the compliment in the double insult, "Snobbish?" I laughed, waving my hand over her, "This coming from you? Talk about the kettle calling the pot pretentious." I rolled my eyes, "Do you own this vineyard too?"

I heard Lauren puff out a hard sigh, "No, but I am good friends with the owner, and apparently my barrel maker is good friends with your mother." She set her empty wine glass on the table next to her, "It seems you stuck with her maiden name when you entered the world of flight."

Giving her another dirty look, "Can you just stop?" I chugged more of the rosea, "Your tone is so...so assy in the way you think you know everything and are connected to everyone and everything." I slammed my wine glass down on the table next to hers, flicking my wrist out towards the open french doors, "Why don't you go outside and play in the grapes. I need to find a concierge and hustle my car keys back."

I could see Lauren visibly bite the inside of her mouth, I was pushing her buttons and I knew it, but I couldn't forgive her for her brutish way of telling me off the last time, and then ignoring me when that anorexic hipster waitress practically threw her vagina on the table in front of us asking Lauren to pick it up with her overt flirting. I frowned deeper when I realized that last thought hinted at jealousy.

I peered up at Lauren still studying me and I couldn't resist but still think she was stupid fucking hot with those big expressive brown eyes and a jaw line I wanted to trace with my fingers to the end of time.

I closed my eyes, "Let's just make this easy and call it a day, go our separate ways."

"How about this, Bo, we both enjoy the tour your mother graciously thought we would have fun on. We don't have to talk, look at each other, or even stand next to each other. But we are kind of stuck, I know the kid who has the car keys, his father would kill him if he broke the sobriety clause of this tour." Lauren's voice had softened, "It's a beautiful vineyard, a beautiful day and the dinner at the end is worth enduring a hot poker in the ass, let alone an assy know it all distillery owner."

I half smirked at her joke, but reeled it in before she saw it. Instead I squinted at her, "Fine, no talking, looking, standing near each other. Then I can tell my mother I tried and she can stop setting me up on blind dates."

Lauren smiled, "Maybe you can even try to loosen that stick up your ass and turn down the bitch factor a notch or three?"

I knew it was meant to be a joke, but it pissed me off and reopened the wound from the last time she said it, I flicked Lauren off, whispering a "Go fuck yourself." before turning on my heel and strolling after Casey, picking up another full glass of rosea on the way out.

The sunshine and heat hit me at once, tipping my hand in making the final decision that I would drink all the wine it took to make Lauren disappear, or at least maybe build enough courage to escape and hitchhike with a passing horse and carriage.

Blind dates could suck my grapes.

* * *

ooooOOOOOOoooooo

I'm an idiot and I shouldn't be allowed to make decisions while hanging out with Woody who is an older version of his nephew Tony. But I did it anyway after enjoying a nice glass of his twenty year-old bourbon which he made to commemorate the birth of his son. He had made casual mention of his friend's daughter and how she was a knockout with brains to match. Woody suggested that I should go on a date with her because I needed to date someone my own age. Of course Tony had been with me at the time so he had brought up the fiasco that was my last blind date and Woody swore to me that it would be nothing like that. So I agreed because the man was a sweetheart despite who his nephew was. He had also helped me out with getting the distillery up and running.

Needless to say the date was exactly like last time. So much so that I was on a date with the same woman. Again. And nothing about her had changed since I saw her two weeks ago. Although the jeans she was wearing highlighted her ass quite admirably. I shook my head, no looking at the ass of the enemy. I tilted my head little, it's such a nice ass though. Bo turned her head and caught me looking at her ass. I opened my mouth to say something even though I could feel my face heat up with embarrassment. When nothing came out I just shrugged and she scowled at me before turning back around.

I let out an exasperated breath. Fuck this tour. I was pretty familiar with the vineyard and was certain I would be able to make back to the group before they reached the next stopping point. I broke away from the group and walked down a path that went between the grapes. I smiled to myself as I enjoyed the aroma that came from them. I had visited the vineyard numerous times before and it was always a delight to be out there.

I explored on my own for awhile and before I headed to the next stopping point I found a bunch of grapes lying on the ground. A thought crossed my mind. I was better than this. So much better than this but it was such an appealing idea. I grinned and picked a few of the grapes from the bunch then I jogged to the next stopping point making sure my approach is a stealthy one so I didn't interrupt Casey's oration on the vineyard. I rolled one of the grapes between my fingers as I thought about my idea.

I knew I was so much better than this. What I had planned was immature and childish and a number of other things but the temptation was too much to pass up. With spectacular aim the grape went sailing through the air, like a perfect missile, and into the back of Bo's head. I kept a neutral look on my face as I pretended to be enraptured by Casey's little speech about the vineyard as Bo turned around and tried to figure out what had hit her on the head. She looked around one more time then looked at me. "Problem?"

Bo glared at me for a second then turned back around. I stifled the laugh that wanted to escape my mouth and instead I chuckled to myself. Right before the tour group continued its trek I threw another grape at the back of Bo's head. It was a comical sight watching her head snap around as she looked for whatever was hitting her in the head. I got a concerned look on my face and asked, "Bo are you okay?"

"Yes I am perfectly fine Lauren. No need for you to pretend to care." Bo remarked before she started walking towards the group.

I covered my mouth with my hand and started to laugh. Okay so clearly this date wasn't going to be too bad if I got to screw with Bo like this. The next stopping point offered various wines that the vineyard was currently experimenting with along with some cheeses and fruits. I took a large glass off the tray and walked over to Bo who seemed to be admiring the view of the vineyard. I took a deep breath and said, "It's pretty out here isn't it?" She gave a subtle nod of her head and I chuckled, "I'm trying here Bo. I want you to have a good time and I know neither of us wants to be here with the other but we might as well make the best of it." I brought my wineglass up to my lips and smirked, "Or I'll keep throwing grapes at the back of your head for shits and giggles."

"That was you?" Bo exclaimed as she turned to look at me.

I took a large gulp of the sweet wine. God that was delicious. I briefly wondered if this was the recipe I had come up with while I was under the influence. I grinned at her and shrugged, "Hey I get bored easily. And you acting like you're holier than thou made you an easy target."

Bo scoffed then took a drink of her wine before saying, "Oh don't come off all sanctimonious Lauren. You act like you know everything when really you don't. Then on top of that you're what thirty-three acting like you're twenty-two? That's really sad. How about you grow up and act like an adult?"

"And what's acting like an adult Bo? Sitting in a stuffy office that destroys your soul that eventually turns you into an undateable, cantankerous asshole that no one wants to be around? No thank you. You can keep your adulthood and I'll stick with the twenty-three year olds who know how to have fun." I argued before taking a long drink from my glass. I needed another one.

Bo studied my face for a moment then wondered, "And how long do you think you'll be able to continue to have fun like that Lauren? It's obvious that you're looking for something because you keep agreeing to go on these blind dates. What are you looking for that you aren't getting from the twenty-two year old bimbos that you sleep with?"

I drained my glass and I mumbled, "I'm going to go get another."

Bo let out a short laugh as I started to walk away from, "Guess I struck a nerve with the carefree bootlegger."

I turned around and said, "For the record I'm a distiller. A bootlegger was someone who engaged in illegal booze runs during the prohibition era. Also you didn't strike a nerve. I'm just done with the conversation." I scoffed, "You and I are obviously too different to even hold a civil conversation so I'm going to get some more wine, enjoy the tour, then I'm going to have a nice meal. How you enjoy the rest of the night is up to you Bo but it is no concern of mine."

I walked over to the table and set down my empty glass and waited for the server to give me a fresh glass of the red I had been drinking. When he placed it in front of me I took a long drink from the glass then walked over to an area where no one was. I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Bo wasn't right but she wasn't wrong either. Sleeping with twenty-three year olds was a quick escape and a quick way to make it seem as though I was doing more with my life besides getting caught up in my work. I wanted something deeper but that meant taking risks and I wasn't certain if I was ready to do something of that nature yet. I took a sip from my glass and sighed. How I could feel so empty and alone during a blind date was beyond me. Screw Bo and most of all screw blind dates.

The tour continued and Bo and I didn't say anything to each other for the remainder of it. By the time the tour ended it was time for dinner and Bo and I were shown to our table. We sat down in silence and after the waiter took our orders I looked around and noticed that the other couples were talking excitedly about the tour and the wine while Bo and I glowered at each other. It was after our second glass of dinner wine when Bo broke the silence, "At least you're trying."

I got a confused look on my face, "Huh?"

Bo cleared her throat and took a sip of the water that was in front of her and as she set it down she repeated herself, "You're trying. Or something that looks like trying. My schedule is so mundane and predictable and….pathetic that my mother even teases me about it. But at least you're trying with the twenty-three year olds."

Was Bo attempting conversation with me? I began to wonder if she was drunk. If she had as many glasses of wine as I did then she most likely was. I picked up a piece of the fresh baked bread that was sitting on the table and as I spread some hummus on it I sighed, "Yeah well I'm using them."

Bo chuckled and asked, "Using them how?"

I raised my eyebrow, "Are you kidding?" Bo shook her head no and I took a bite of the bread. Once I chewed it up and swallowed it I said, "You should try this bread it's great. And I'm using them for sex Bo. There is no trying. I'm just looking to get off then make the most graceful escape I can possibly make."

Bo got a piece of bread and said, "Well at least you're doing that. I had to buy a new vibrator because I wore out the motor on my old one."

I choked on my bread and started to cough. Did Bo really just say that she had burned out the motor on her vibrator? I really was drunk. I took a drink of water then cleared my throat once my airway was clear. I saw that people were looking at our table and I waved as I said, "I'm okay. I just swallowed some bread wrong." I looked at my dinner companion and there was a small grin on Bo's face. If I didn't know any better I would have sworn she had said that on purpose. I picked up my wine and took a sip of it. As I set it down I shook my head, "I see it's not a stick that's up your ass but an overworked vibrator."

"You seem to have a fascination with things being up my ass." Bo countered with an edge but it wasn't as biting as it had been earlier.

I smirked and replied, "Well it is a nice ass." A comfortable silence settled over the table and I felt the need to continue the conversation. "I um…I find it hard to believe that you have a hard time finding sex Bo."

Bo took a bite of bread and then said, "Well like I said, I don't really try and also I don't have the patience or energy for pointless hookups. It's a waste of time and I would rather be doing other things with my time." She looked at me and backpedaled, "Not to say that there is anything wrong with that it's just not for me."

I nodded and mumbled, "I don't think it's for me either but it's better than the alternative."

Another lull in the conversation occurred and this time it lasted until dinner came.

* * *

ooooOOoooOOoo

I was tipsy, buzzed and about a half a glass of rosea away from being drunk. The heat, the wine and the empty stomach it was sloshing in, was creating a cocktail of vulnerability that I couldn't fight. I knew I was getting close to drunk when I slipped out the comment about overworking my vibrator, but the reaction it earned from Lauren, left me with no regrets and a interestingly inappropriate image in my head of the woman sitting across from the table. But that image quickly dissipated when she struggled to compliment me, making it feel like a pity compliment.

Regardless of the heat, the wine and the back and forth irritation of the woman, Lauren had a way about her when she tried to be nice, that made me receptive too it. I wanted to talk to her, I wanted to talk to someone that wasn't Roxie, my parents or the fragile male egos I worked with everyday. She had an ease about her that made me envious.

I had spent an hour or two reading up on the magnanimous Lauren Lewis in my office weeks ago. She had become the most successful and up and coming female distiller the liquor industry had ever seen. She had rubbed elbows, taking the punches, throwing her own, and stood taller with ease in a male dominated industry. I had done the same, but it cast a iron suit of armour over my sense of self and wanting to open up. I knew I could be a bitch, an asshole at times, and it was because I had fought to work beside men my entire life and be respected in the world of aeronautical engineering.

Lauren didn't care and I was jealous of her carelessness.

Tearing off a chunk of bread, hoping it would soak up some of the wine storm brewing in my stomach, I looked at the woman. She was beautiful and maybe it was the wine talking, but I wanted to try with her suddenly. "I don't mean to be such a stick in the mud with a stick up my ass, I have spent my life being the token skirt. Working with men who thought I was the secretary, not the lead engineer on a project." I continued tearing apart the bread, "My ego is a defense mechanism."

"All ego's are a defense mechanism, Bo." Lauren leaned closer to the table, smiling softly in a way that made her even more gorgeous. "You don't always have to be the iron lady to earn respect, you only need to be honest and true to who you are." She looked at the bread on her plate, "That's how I've done it since I built the company and fought my way to stand next to the big boys."

Lauren paused, waiting for me to look up into her eyes, "Bo, you are talented, from what I read they are calling you the next Howard Hughes, but without the insane OCD." She smiled when I rolled my eyes, "You're courageous and beautiful, let no one tell you any different."

My eyes began to well up, hearing those words hit deep, not because I had never heard them before, but because I had never heard them spoken with such honesty. I had always been a token in some way. The token female fulfilling a company's quota for affirmative action in the engineering department, a token trophy partner that could be taken to parties and impress others, the token girl who deep down wanted nothing more than to fly airplanes I designed and be loved for who I am, not what I am. Lauren was making me feel like a person and not a token.

I closed my eyes, whispering a thank you as one tear escaped. I went to wipe it away, cursing the gallon of rosea I consumed, when a warm hand fell to my cheek, a thumb wiping the tears away before they tracked down to my chin. I kept my eyes closed as a sharp, strong tingle rocketed through my cheek and filled my entire body with a warm feeling . I almost leaned into the hand, wanting more contact, but stopped. It was just the wine. Opening my eyes, I saw Lauren's big brown eyes moving to where her hand sat, "You're welcome Bo."

I held her gaze for a moment, before the waiter appeared with our meals. Lauren reeled her hand back like she was caught stealing from the cookie jar, busying herself with the large linen napkin under the silverware.

Clearing my throat I also busied myself with the napkin and silverware, "You were saying something about hookups being better than the alternative?" I glanced at Lauren, softening my tone to show I was trying.

She shrugged, cutting into her beef tips seared in the '83 Shiraz, "It's nothing." Lauren pointed at my food with her fork, "You should eat the grilled chicken before it gets cold, the white wine congeals the sauce and makes it starchy."

I laughed, "Is there anything you don't know?" I shook my head, cutting into the food, eager to eat something that would settle my stomach and the feelings.

Lauren scrunched her face up, "Actually, no I don't think so. I pretty much know everything." She shrugged, smirking as she returned to her beef tips.

Another small silence fell between us, but less awkward as the others, this one felt natural and I found myself staring at the blonde enjoying her meal. After a few more bites, my buzz edging back to a lovely warm relaxed feeling, I had the urge to apologize for my shitty behaviour. "Lauren, I want to apologize for being an ass the first time we met and earlier." I sucked in a breath, nervous that I was about to admit something I never admitted to anyone. Lauren paused and gave me her full attention, making me reach for the glass of wine next the plate of chicken to settle my nerves, "I acted like an ass because you hurt my feelings when you called me out on the stick lodged in my ass, my resting bitch face and that I have a shitty way about me when it comes to first impressions." I sighed, "I am not used to genuine, honest people who don't want anything from me or see anything more than a skirt or a memorable one night stand."

Smiling painfully, I took a heavy drink from the wine glass, biting my bottom lip as I felt the need to cry again. The wine had definitely lowered my inhibitions, it and the weird connection I was beginning to feel with Lauren had me lowering down the iron armour.

Lauren grinned at me, "It's a pretty resting bitch face." She winked at me, "I'm kidding Bo, and apology accepted."

I grinned back, I couldn't help it when I saw how attractive Lauren was when her face lit up like it did now. "Are you going to apologize for throwing grapes at my head?"

She laughed, shaking her head, "Hell no, that was deserved. Sour grapes for the sour puss snob."

Before I could make a comment, Lauren held up her wine glass, "To Ms. McCorrigan, the flight attendant." Her eyes sparkled with humor. I picked up mine, "To Ms. Lewis, the bootlegger." We clinked our glasses together and fell into easy conversation about how delicious the food was and that today had been a decent day to be in a vineyard no matter how balls out hot it had been.

After dessert was served along with copious amounts of water, the tour ended and Casey directed us all back out to the main building we had first arrived at. Allowing us to do some gift shopping before we were handed back car keys and sent on our way. I felt much better, the wine was out of my system and I was starting to feel normal and less agitated about the whole day.

I drifted to the large selection of take home wine offerings, looking for the rosea I had chugged all day and a few bottles of the white wine from dinner. They would be a nice addition to my kitchen in case I had guests over.

Lauren was next to me, looking at a few bottles of red, "If you would like, maybe I can give you a tour of Ignis Aqua. Our main distillery is over in Queens in a old warehouse once used by bootleggers." She threw me a smirk, nudging me with her shoulder.

I rolled my eyes, "As long as it's not the vodka distillery, I am afraid I could get ethanol fume poisoning from being in a room of those brewing vats."

Lauren chuckled, handing me a bottle of pinot, "It's distilling, not brewing, and yes I need to revisit the vodka formula. Upside, my car gets great gas mileage off of the stuff."

I laughed, taking the bottle from her hand, our fingers grazing and making me take in a deep breath. This blind date was turning around and I really, really, wanted to ask her out on a second date. Even though I was sure she just asked me out on one. I nodded a thank you, looking from her eyes to her lips, "My weekends are usually free." I turned to look at the back of the wine label, trying not to stare at her lips and how amazing they looked.

"Lauren! Oh my god! Is that you?" A chipper woman's voice sliced through the tension, forcing both Lauren and I too look at the tall raven haired, blue eyed amazon goddess strolling over to us in dirt stained overalls and a huge grin.

Lauren grinned, moving away from me as she greeted the goddess, "Holy shit, Victoria, how the hell are you?"

And like that, it was if I disappeared. Lauren embraced the goddess tightly, leaning back to grin at her in the same way she had grinned at the waitress on our first date. I felt my stomach tighten, cursing myself for letting down my armour for a second to a stranger who was clearly more interested in the alternative of quick one nighters with randoms, than forming something more. Setting the bottles down on the counter, I drug out my debit card, paying for the four bottles and eavesdropping in on the conversation.

Picking up on the same tone and same key flirty phrases Lauren had used at Imperial, talking about wine and the vineyards, I knew the way the goddess was reacting and touching Lauren intimately, was leading to something that I clearly didn't belong in or want to be a part of. I felt my jealousy build and I was getting angrier and angrier by the second for it and opening up to Lauren. She had hurt my feelings again by leading me on then discarding me the first chance she got.

When the cashier handed me the small box of wine bottles, I walked over to the concierge and signed the waiver for my car keys, taking one glance back at Lauren and Victoria, still engaged in conversation. Lauren not even noticing I was now across the room.

I whispered a thank you, picked up my box and walked out of the building to my shiny black Range Rover parked conveniently in front for easy access. Dumping the wine box in the back seat, I moved to the driver's side when I heard my name, "Bo? Wait."

Turning I saw Lauren with a confused look on her face, hustling out the door with Victoria standing just inside the doorway. I bent my head down, plastering on a fake smile as I re-affixed my iron armor.

"You leaving?" Lauren stopped a few steps from me.

I nodded, glancing at her, "Yup." I motioned towards the raven haired woman watching us, "The blind date is over, you can carry on with your friend." I straightened up, not being able to resist as my jealousy and hurt feelings returned tenfold. "I guess it does come easier for you. She is quite the stunning pointless hookup." I turned to my car door, "Thanks, I guess, for this." I shrugged, "And I think I will pass on that distillery tour."

Lauren furrowed her brow, she was confused and my tone was pissing her off, "Bo, don't be like this." She waved at Victoria, "She's just a friend."

I laughed, "All of them are just friends, Lauren, at least this one looks like she's older than twenty three." I yanked the car door open, "I hope that you can find whatever it is you're looking for, do me a favor, forget this and me."

I sighed hard, climbing in the car and closing the door as I heard, "Jesus fucking Christ Bo, don't be an ass and let me explain!"

I didn't, it wasn't worth it, we would end up in a pissy name calling fit like before. Leaving me wishing I had drunk more, staring at the box of wine knowing two of those bottles would be empty by bedtime. I started the car and didn't look back or hear the last few words Lauren expelled with her arms up in the air in defeat. "For fuck's sake Bo, Victoria is my half sister."

 **Tune in next week for episode three! will they finally start to like each other or will it be another disastrous date?**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Three weeks later -**_

Unzipping the plastic bag to reveal the form fitting dark blue cocktail dress, I stared at it for a second. Debating whether or not I should do the usual black pencil skirt and conservative top I always wore to the Summer Soiree PacEast hosted in the middle of summer.

I had picked the dress out a couple weeks back, trying to retail therapy away the raw feelings from the day at the vineyard. Hoping that a sexy, tight, new dress would invigorate me to go out there and grab the dating world by the balls, or the vagina, and make it mine. Force me to stop letting others set me up on blind dates or take pity on me one way or another.

So I bought the dress and promptly shoved it in my closet and resorted to staying in every weekend in my busted ass pairs of sweat shorts and t-shirts. Eating carry out and shutting off my phone to hide from the endless texts from Roxie telling me to come to this club, that bar or this new restaurant full of hotties looking for my number.

I was over it, I was over a lot of things and the last thing I wanted to do was go to the yearly summer event PacEast held for the corporate staff and their vendors to thank us all for continuing to make the airline the biggest and the best. I had wanted to RSVP a no thank you until the CEO and the CFO personally showed up my office on Wednesday, asking if I was going to make it since they wanted to show my face to a few very important people. There were talks of PacEast merging with an English airline on top of picking up a government contract, and I was tasked to be the token for them to shine up and show off. They also handed me a travel itinerary, in a weeks' time I would be standing in the main manufacturing plant of the English airline estimating how much and how long it would take to retrofit the airplanes to my designs.

The other reason I didn't want to go was I had spotted Lauren's name on the guest list along with a plus one. Then I borrowed Roxie's computer while she was on lunch and saw that Lauren had politely declined the invitation. Giving me small hope that the Summer Soiree would only be mildly irritating trying to avoid losing my shit on the old men that would call me little lady and wonder how I designed airplanes and be so gosh darn pretty.

I also didn't want to admit that Lauren had struck a raw nerve that had been exposed for far too long and she was the poor sucker to press it the hardest, making me say fuck it, fuck it all and hide further into my hermit hole. I had let down my guard with Lauren and no matter how amazing it felt those short few moments at the vineyard, a gorgeous woman making me feel special and motivated to ask her out on a second date and seek out the adventure everyone hinted at, it hurt a million times more when I was cast to the side. Inadvertently bringing up every single shitty feeling I had felt throughout my life when I was ignored for this reason or that in romance, it also didn't help that I really liked Lauren and still did, which irritated the piss out of me to the point where I would have to have a talk with my vagina and my heart, telling them to stop reacting whenever I thought about her or happened to see her name on random internal office memos.

Now here I was, standing in the middle of my room in my underwear, looking back and forth between the sexy dress and the boring prude skirt and blouse. I grumbled with my hands on my hips, saying fuck it to the empty room as I choose the dress. Maybe I would be manhandled and insulted enough I could call it an early night and take that early flight to England Roxie had scheduled for me.

But it wasn't just all those morbid hopes and wishes, it was my gut telling me to go with the dress and wear it, that tonight was going to be the night I finally shit and got off the pot, stopped being the token and started being adventurous. And this blue saran wrap of a dress was the first step.

* * *

The night was warm with a cool breeze floating around the rooftop garden venue PacEast had rented out in the Flatiron district. The view was incredible and I found myself staring off at the Empire State building as the conversation droned on into budgets, profit margins, marketing and other boring things I could care less about. All I cared about was designing airplanes and flying them, the sole reason I became an engineer.

"Bo here is our golden girl!" Friedrich, the CEO of PacEast patted my back, "She is an incredible designer and has a gift that would make the Wright Brothers envious of her."

I turned away from the lights of the Empire State building, pulling on a fake smile as I faced the small group of middle aged men and women standing in a circle. I caught at least two of the men roaming greasy dirty eyes down the length of my dress and back up, giving me a cheeky smile when I made hard eye contact with them. I squeezed the cocktail glass in my hands to control the urge to throw it at them or whip out a snarky comment about their roaming pervert eyes.

Friedrich continued on with his praise of my talents, but doing it in a way didn't leave me feeling like a token or a bargaining chip, regardless it was agitating me and I turned to stare back out on the city lights. Thinking about the trip to England and what air museums I could visit.

"Word is that Ms. Dennis is on the short list for this year's Nobel Prize, for her work in creating hybrid fuel systems that reduce the airline industries carbon footprint by 65%." The voice attached to the words had me closing my eyes and gripping the cocktail glass so hard, I felt the glass crack against my palm.

I didn't want to turn around and look at her until Friedrich beckoned it, "Ah! Ms. Lewis! It is such a surprise to see you here! My secretary told me that you had declined the invitation." He turned to the rest of the circle to make introductions, "Everyone, this is Ms. Lauren Lewis, the owner of Ignis Aqua, a fine up and coming liquor company who is also PacEast's newest and sole vendor for in flight alcohol on our international and hopefully, domestic flights."

I kept my eyes on the floor when Friedrich brought me closer, "Bo, I have wanted you to meet Ms. Lewis for a few weeks now, just haven't matched up your schedules." I looked up to see Lauren staring at me intently with a soft smile on her face. There was something in her eyes that betrayed the business friendly smile on her face, it was the look that made me regret a shit ton of things, but I wouldn't bend to that look or this woman.

"Bo, it's lovely to meet you again." Lauren held out her hand, knowing that I could not refuse it in the company we were in. I grit my teeth, threw on my own smile and shook her hand, cringing internally at the way it still felt like it did at the vineyard, sending tingly feelings against my will through my body.

"Ms. Lewis, a pleasure to meet you." I released her hand as soon as possible, filling both of my hands with the cocktail glass. I turned to politely excuse myself from Friedrich only to find him a few steps away engaging in another business deal.

I sucked in a hard breath, looking around the busy rooftop looking for my exit. My emotions were starting to go wiggy, I wanted to cry, slap Lauren across the face and then kiss her. I had to leave immediately.

"You look beautiful in that dress, Bo." Lauren's voice was closer and low like it had been when she asked me about joining her on a distillery tour. I shook my head slightly, turning to look at her, when I caught what she was wearing.

Lauren looked like she fell out of a movie; her long blonde hair was down around her shoulders, a large piece falling over the one side of her face in a Veronica Lake way. Her makeup was perfect, drawing all of my attention to her brown eyes and soft pink lips. She wore a simple black dress that went past her knee with a sheer lace overlay covering her shoulders.

She looked like she walked off the silver screen and happened to come across this cocktail party.

God she was hot and I hated her for it.

I shook my head again, cursing my vagina and my heart for the millionth time, telling them to shut the hell up and let me focus. "You're not supposed to be here." It came out of my mouth with more sass and edge than I really intended, but it happens when I felt wronged.

"Excuse me?"

I took a sip of the coconut mule in my hand, wishing the vodka in it was a little stronger, "I said, you're not supposed to be here." I glared at the woman, "You RSVP'd a no to this soiree." I cringed when I revealed I had been nosy.

Lauren half smiled, sipping at her gin martini, "My plans fell through at the last minute, my friend left earlier than planned."

I huffed, "Which friend? The hipster waitress you banged last Friday? The hostess from the bar you probably banged last night, or was it the raven haired wine worker that you eye fucked in front of me." The anger was rolling over me out of nowhere. I was jealous, I couldn't lie to myself and it pissed me off. Jealous that Lauren had all of the women at her beckon and call, and there wasn't a goddamn thing I could figure out to do to get her attention on me.

"Oh my god, Bo, did that stick lodge up into your brain?" Lauren gave me a dirty look, "For a brilliant mind like yours, and you allow it to be clouded by jealousy and allow that to jump to ridiculous conclusions."

I turned to walk back over to the bar for a refill, "I know what I saw and I know what you were doing." I wanted to leave the conversation and the woman. Hoping that she would get the hint and I could get swooped up in a conversation with the old man who had been eyefucking the hell out of me from the moment I walked in, maybe I could use him as a Trojan horse and get the hell off this roof.

"Really Bo? And what did you see?" Lauren was close on my heels, moving next to me as she leaned closer to me so I could feel her lips almost graze my ear.

I did give her the pleasure and kept on my path, "You flirting with gusto with that Victoria, you flirting with me while I was inebriated in hopes of turning me into a one night stand." I bit the inside of my cheek, "You making me lower my guard and open up to you."

I stopped at the bar, waving at the bartender to make me two more coconut mules when Lauren leaned against the bar top, facing me as she leaned closer to me, waiting until I looked in her eyes, "And what on earth would have been wrong with me fucking the hell out you all night long? Making it a night that you would remember." She licked her lips, smirking when I whipped my head around in shock and mild embarrassment. "Bo, you are as predictable as you are stubborn, and for your information, Victoria is my half-sister, the same one who left my apartment after spending the last two days there, to move back in with my mom and step dad up in Maine. I hadn't seen in her months when I saw her at the vineyard."

I rolled my eyes, looking away from her hoping the wicked blush on my cheeks would fade quickly, "Whatever, you will say anything to keep your ego intact, Lauren. I don't know anyone who calls their siblings friends, I don't care who you sleep with, you don't need to make up stories to cover your pointless hookups with me." In truth, deep down, I did care who she slept with, more now after the comment she made about fucking me all night long.

Lauren laughed incredulously, "Geez, I didn't know that you set the standards the entire world needed to follow, Bo." She shook her head, "I still don't understand what the hell happened to you that turned you into this bitchy bull in a china shop."

* * *

oooOOOOOOooooo

I threw back my second shot of whiskey and signaled to the bartender for another one. I knew she was going to be here and I still decided to come anyway. Maybe it was because I was pissed about how things had gone last time. Or maybe it was because I was hoping to see that soft side of Bo again. God when she smiled it was like the world lit up. I sighed. Clearly I wasn't going to be seeing that tonight. After our argument I came to the bar to cool down. Bo was pissed about our last date but she completely misunderstood the entire situation between Victoria and I. The bartender sat my new shot in front of me and I picked up with a frown on my face. I guess I could have introduced Victoria when I saw her but I had been so excited to see her that I forgot about Bo.

I scoffed then threw back the shot and slammed the glass down on the bar top. I needed one more then I would be pleasantly buzzed. What had happened at the vineyard didn't matter. If Bo wanted to be indignant about it then I was going to let her be because I honestly didn't think I could fight with her anymore. Not only was it exhausting, it was also pointless. We barely knew each other. I felt a hand on the exposed part of my back where my dress scooped down and I looked out the corner of my eye to see Tony step up to me with a shit eating grin on his face. "What are you doing?" I grumbled before asking him, "I thought you and Roxie were going to do something inappropriately adventurous at this thing?" I signaled to the bartender.

The woman manning the bar was about to place a shot glass in front of me but Tony stopped her and said, "She'll have a glass of water." He leaned against the bar and with his eyes he asked me what was wrong. I scowled at the look. It was his fault that Bo Dennis had come into my life. If it hadn't been for him I would have been happy doing what I had been doing without second thought. But here I was drinking because I was pissed at Bo and pissed at the fact that I didn't want to keep doing what I had been doing. Not when I had seen the sun in her smile. "Lauren you can continue to give me the evil eye, which doesn't work for you, but eventually you're going to tell me what's wrong."

I picked up the glass of water that had been placed in front of me and after taking a gigantic gulp from it I went on an alcohol fueled rant, "It's fucking Bo, Tony and you know it. She fucking puts herself on some unreachable pedestal because she thinks she's better than everyone else. I made a mistake and didn't introduce her to Veronica. So what? I hadn't seen her since forever and my excitement got the best of me. You would think Bo would have given me the opportunity to explain that or at least give me the benefit of the doubt but no. She has a deluded sense of herself in which she reigns supreme and the rest of us…" I scoffed. There was no way the two of us would work. I took another sip of water and as I set the glass down I sighed, "The rest of us are peons."

I could feel Tony's intense stare on me then he gasped, "Oh dear lord you've fallen for her."

I rolled my eyes and let out an exasperated breath as I said, "Oh shut up Tony."

"No, no, no, no. You can't just tell me to shut up and brush it away Lauren. You've fallen for Bo and the stick up her ass." There was a short laugh then he mumbled, "I can't believe it." He put his hand on my shoulder and turned me to where I faced him, "You have to tell her."

Tony's involvement in my love life, or lack thereof, was sweet but I was done with it. "No Tony. I'm not doing shit. In fact I'm going home and drinking then I'm going to pick some random name out of my contacts to help me forget about the ice queen. I refuse to be a peasant in her court."

I turned to walk away from the bar but Tony grabbed my arm and I gave him a piercing look that told him that if he didn't remove the offending appendage from mine then I would make it to where he would be singing falsetto. Tony let go of my arm as soon as my eyes locked on his and he held up his hands cautiously, "Lauren you need to tell her. She's going to England and I don't think she's coming back."

"What? Why wouldn't she be coming back?" I asked confused by this new bit of information that Tony had no doubt learned from Roxie.

He sighed and ran his hand over his hair, "Rox told me that she's overseeing something there and if she does a good job then her position there could be permanent."

I stood there stunned by the news. Of course Bo would storm through my life like some pissed off storm then leave it just as soon as she had arrived. Leaving nothing but destruction which wreaked havoc on my well guarded emotions. I saw that Tony was looking at me and I took a deep breath then chuckled, "Well good riddance I say." I turned around and as I walked away from him I called over my shoulder, "I'm going home. Have a good night Tone."

I walked through the bodies that were milling around on the rooftop and I didn't look at anyone. I was too caught up in my own thoughts and emotions to even care about the other people. That stupid vineyard. That's when everything changed. When Bo made that remark about her vibrator she showed me a side of her that extended beyond her hard exterior and that had me hooked but then it came crashing down by own stupidity. I was walking pass an older gentleman when I heard it. It sounded more fake and hollow but the tone behind it was still there. Bo's laugh. I closed my eyes for a moment and thought about the genuine laugh she had let out when we had dinner at the vineyard. I took a deep breath as my heart pounded in my ears. That had to have been an effect of the alcohol and it was the alcohol that provoked my next course of action. Or that's what I wanted to think. Instead of going to the elevator I followed the laughter and found Bo standing with several older gentlemen. Bo's eyes glanced at me before she looked away then she pinned me with a cold hard stare. That was fine if she wanted be a bitch then I was going to be a bigger one. When I was close to her I excused myself then asked, "May I have a word?"

"I think you said all you had to say earlier." Bo responded in a cool, offhanded manner that added to my irritation towards the woman.

I had no problem being embarrassed in front of these people, I was never going to see them again, but Bo, Bo had to work with these people frequently. I smirked and folded my arms over my chest, "I came to say that if you hadn't of jumped to conclusion and stormed off in what you think was righteous indignation I would have introduced you to my sister but you did anyway. Like you did tonight. You threw out your half-truths and assumptions without bothering to get the real story." I chuckled as Bo looked around at those that surrounded us, "I don't need that. Not from someone who has unrealistic expectations of those around her." That got her.

"Unrealistic expectations? Lauren the last two times we went out you flirted with other women. You placed them before me. If having the person I'm out on a date with show me a modicum of respect is unrealistic expectations then maybe I'm not the one with the problem. Your flippant and aloof attitude puts those you're with under a microscope. Just because I'm not cavalier with my emotions and feelings doesn't mean I don't have them nor does it mean that I have a stick in my ass." Bo set the drink that she had in her hand down on the table next to her then continued to lay into me, "I have been hurt too many times to just put my emotions out there. So yes I'm a frigid bitch but it's what I have to do to protect myself. Whereas you, you sleep with those who aren't emotionally developed enough to understand what is going on and that makes you a worse person than I am."

I stood there speechless. There was nothing I could say. Not only was I an asshole of epic proportion, I was also a bitch. I tried to swallow the little bit of spit that was in my mouth but it did nothing to moisten my dry throat. I reached for the glass that Bo had been drinking out of and I took a long drink of whatever was in it. As soon as I swallowed the liquid concoction I realized my mistake. "There's coconut in that?"

Bo let out an annoyed sigh, "Yes there's coconut in it. It's a coconut mule."

"Oh shit." I said as I began to panic. I didn't have an epi pen and shit was about to go from worse to worst real fast. I reached for Bo's hand as my throat began to itch. Oh shit. "We have to go. You have to take me to the hospital right now."

"What? Why?" Bo asked.

I began to wheeze as breathing became an issue, "I'm allergic to coconut."

Bo's eyes opened wide as she realized what was going, "Oh shit. Okay. Okay. Come on. There's a hospital around the corner."

As Bo escorted me off the rooftop and my symptoms worsened I thought about what Bo had said. If I survived this then I was going to change. I was shit and not the good kind either. I wanted to change that and the first thing I was going to change was the way I treated Bo. Hopefully then I would be able to tell her about the developing feelings that I had for her.

* * *

oooooOOOOOOoooo

Lauren's wheezing grew louder with every step we took out of the building. I had to grab her, hoist her up and half carry her out of the elevator, the grip she had on my arm told me that I had to hurry. I wasn't a doctor by any means, but I knew the way her breathing sounded and how the fear in her eyes scared the hell out of me, I had to hurry and so did everyone else around me.

"Get my car now!" I shouted at the valet, scaring the piss out of him. "Don't stand there like a fucking idiot, get the my car. The black range rover that you thought you'd be getting lucky in later tonight?"

The valet nodded mid run, not asking for the ticket he had given me a few hours ago along with his phone number. I had rolled my eyes at the audacity of the twenty year old kid, but gave him a big tip anyways, asking him to make sure he parked my car up front so I could make my planned quick escape. I almost gagged when he winked at me like a he had just sucked face with a lemon.

I glanced at Lauren, her weight bearing down on me more, struggling to stay upright as breathing became a serious chore. She was clutching her throat, crying and staring at me in unmitigated fear, making my heart tighten and my adrenaline rush through my veins. The hospital was literally down a block, but time was precious. Squeezing her side, I looked into scared eyes, "I promise you will be okay, Lauren. I'm going to take care of you no matter what." I felt the twinges of fear that I was about to lose out on the best thing to ever happen to me out of stupidity and ignoring fate when it was standing in front of me with blonde hair and soulful brown eyes.

Lauren closed her eyes, focusing on drawing what little air she could into her lungs. I turned around, ready to unleash hell on the valet or just scoop Lauren up in my arms and run the city block if I had too, when the kid skidded my Range Rover to a halt at the curb. I shouted again as he hopped out of the car, "Get her in the passenger side." He took Lauren from my arms, guiding her to the passenger side while I ran to the driver's side, peeling off the second he buckled her in and slammed the door shut.

Hearing her breathing get worse, I reached for Lauren's hand. Feeling the way she clung to my hand for dear life, I let go of all the shitty things I thought I honestly felt for her and about her, allowing the truth about how I really felt about her fuel my adrenaline. I couldn't lose this woman, especially to a stupid fucking coconut.

I glanced at her while weaving in and out of the bit of traffic in our way, "Lauren, look at me." She rolled her head against the headrest, her eyes drooping and her chest rising and falling in hard gasps. I tried to smile, but when I saw her like she was, heavy realization settled on my shoulders and my heart. I had fallen hard for the blonde and karma seemed to paying me back for ignoring it. "Hey, hey, you're going to be okay. The hospital is right up there." I squeezed her hand, pulling it up to my lips to kiss her knuckles out of instinct to comfort her or at least keep her awake a little longer, "They'll jab you with a bunch of epi pens and you'll feel brand new." I glanced at Lauren staring drowsily at me, "Then I can apologize to you, for being horrible, for being a cold nasty bitch to the one person that has forced me to feel what I feel for you, Lauren." I bit my bottom lip, "To admit I like you and am jealous of everyone else who gets to be close to you."

I swallowed hard, looking back at her to say the last piece as we pulled into the emergency room lane, but Lauren was completely unconscious and barely breathing. "Fuck." I slammed on the brakes right outside the double doors and flung myself out of the car. Rushing into the ER I shouted at the first nurse I saw, "I need help! My friend is having an allergic reaction to coconut and just passed out! Please help her!"

Three nurses rushed past me, me two steps behind them, holding open the door as they removed Lauren from her seat, laying her on a gurney. One looked up at me, "Ma'am how long ago did she ingest the coconut?"

I barely heard her, my eyes falling to the pale, sweaty blonde lying on the white sheet, "Um, maybe five minutes ago? It was in a drink with vodka." I rushed to follow the gurney into the ER bays when another nurse grabbed my arm. Shocking me out of the fear and into instant rage that someone had the balls to detract me from being next to Lauren in this moment.

"Excuse me, only family can go back with the patients ma'am." She gave me a stern look, one that I am sure had worked a hundred times on others.

I returned her stern look, ripping my arm from her grasp, half shouting in her face, "I am her wife, and I suggest you let me go with her before I sue the living fuck out of this hospital for discrimination, neglect, and piss poor compassion." I waved my hand towards Lauren, watching the nurses face turn a bright shade of embarrassment, "I suggest you return to your station and work on your manners and tact while I see to the care of my wife."

I spun on my black high heel, walking quickly with confidence to hide the panic and fear towards the curtained area where the others were working on Lauren. I ran a hand through my hair, letting out a breath at the creative lie I had thrown in the nurse's face and how the sudden idea of calling Lauren my wife felt strangely right.

Pushing through the blue and white curtain, I stopped at the edge of the bed in time for a nurse to inject Lauren with epinephrine. Forcing the blonde to gasp for air and shoot straight up from the bed.

And vomit everything out of her stomach and down the front of my blue dress.

* * *

"She should recover fully in a couple of days. Your wife will need plenty of sleep and to eat mildly for a few days, Mrs. McCorrigan. She had a rough go with the epinephrine and the other medications we had to administer." The doctor smiled softly at me, holding Lauren's chart, "I will say this, if you waited five more minutes and it would have been a different story of total respiratory failure. Lauren's coconut allergy is severe and can be fatal." She scribbled on a notepad, tearing a sheet off and handing it over to me, "This is a prescription for her, a mild allergy pill that will ease the rest of the lingering symptoms and allow your wife to get some rest."

I took the prescription, clearing my throat, "Thank you." I looked over my shoulder at Lauren sleeping peacefully in the bed, "When can she go home?"

"A couple more hours. Morning by the latest." The doctor held the chart against her chest, "I will check on her breathing when she wakes up, and if everything checks out good. She is all yours, Mrs. McCorrigan."

I nodded, looking down at the paper in my hand as my eyes welled up, "Thank you again."

The doctor smiled, patting my shoulder, "Don't thank me, you saved her life." She glanced at Lauren, "Your wife is a lucky woman to have someone like you in her corner."

I nodded again, the doctor brushing past me to take care of other patients, leaving me to stand at the edge of the bed in my oversized t-shirt with B-17's all over it, covering up the dried stains from Lauren. Staring at the sleeping woman, I felt my stomach spin with a long forgotten feeling mixed with the fib I told the doctor and nurses. A fib that made my heart ache, pushing more feelings into my body and soul for Lauren.

I shook my head, picking up my phone to call Roxie to find someone to come sit with Lauren or at least bring me a change of clothes. Rubbing my eyes, I sighed when Roxie answered like the spaz she is.

"Bo! Where are you! Edy the bartender said you hustled ass out of the soiree with Lauren on your arm and then Shep the valet said you slipped her a mickey and took her home?" Roxie was clearly still at the soiree with all of the noise in the background. "Did you two finally bang out the hate for each other?"

I groaned, "Lauren had a allergic reaction to my coconut mule, I took her to the hospital. She's fine, but I need someone to bring me clothes and if you can call Tony to see if he knows anyone that can come help her." I paused, looking up at Lauren. Still asleep but looking a million times better than she had when I brought her in.

Roxie ranted in my ear, "Tony is right next to me, he says that he will try to call her parents up in Maine, but other than that, you're stuck there." I could hear a voice next Roxie's end of the phone, "Yea, he says that he can pick her up in a few hours when he sobers up, but right now he's so drunk he can't remember his own name let alone anything else."

I clenched my jaw when I heard a soft giggle, "Roxie, if you are fucking with me and trying to play matchmaker in this moment, I will tell Freidrich to give Arnold my office instead of you when I stay in England." My heart dropped when I remembered England was about to be my new home. My new home a million miles away from where my heart now wanted to be.

Roxie played coy to the point I hung up on her, shoving my phone back into the small clutch, I walked back into the room and sat in the chair next to Lauren. Slipping off my heels, I leaned on my knees, the giant shirt draping over me like a tent, even if Tony had shown up to take over responsibility for Lauren, I wasn't sure I would leave until she woke up and I knew for certain she was okay.

I sighed, scooting the chair closer to the bed and looking over the woman. Even a near miss with death by coconut and throwing up more than a frat boy during spring break, Lauren was still beautiful. I shook my head, picking up her hand as it laid on the pale blue blanket. It was still warm and still sent tingles through me, "What have you done to me, bootlegger?" I slid my fingers into hers, "You irritate me, negate everything I stand for on so many levels, you confuse me, you fight me like no one else has." I sucked in a breath, "You call me out on all of my bullshit, force me to lay down the iron armor with every one of those stupid cheeky grins that make your eyes sparkle, and you make me want to let you in." I ran my thumb over her knuckles, "I can't stand you, but I can't stand to be anywhere but where you are, Lauren."

I pulled her hand up, wrapping it in both of mine as I kissed her warm skin gently, "You came into my life like a..."

"Please don't say like a wrecking ball...for all that is holy."

Her raspy voice startled me, drawing me to look up at half opened eyes and a crooked smile, I blew out a laugh. My eyes welling up, "On the verge of death and still full of snarky comments."

* * *

oooOOOOOooo

Last night was a blur.

I remember Bo and I arguing with each other like a bunch of lunatics then the allergic reaction and Bo's mad dash to get me to hospital. I don't remember the ride to or from the hospital. I groaned and pulled the comforter over my head. I was still groggy and my head pounded. Probably from the massive amounts of medications to reverse my allergic reaction. I cracked open an eye and moved the blanket a little to find out if it was day or not. It was day but the harsh light of it was being blocked out by the thick curtains that covered the windows. It was then I realized that this wasn't my room nor was it my apartment or any apartment I was familiar with. I sat up and regretted it the moment I did it, so I fell back on the comfy pillow. I exhaled through my mouth slowly and rubbed my forehead as I tried to remember where I was. I was so drugged last night.

I remember Bo being there but everything else was too fuzzy to recall. I heard the door to the room open and I squinted to figure out who was coming in the room using the dim light that escaped the curtains to help me out. I was confused by who I thought it was so I asked, "Bo?" I sounded like I had smoked an entire pack of menthols after a drunken night.

"Yeah it's me." She replied in a quiet voice then she asked, "Is it okay to turn on the lamp? I have some food and medication for you."

No it wasn't okay to turn on the light. My head pounded and I wanted the Earth to swallow me up. I cleared my throat and said, "Yeah. Go for it." I closed my eyes as I listened for the click of the lamp being turned on. I waited a couple minutes after hearing the sound of the lamp click on then I slowly opened my eyes. The light aggravated my headache and it took some time for my eyes to adjust but I asked, "Where the hell am I?"

Bo chuckled as she answered, "Uh…my place. You don't remember me clearing that with you?" She handed me a glass of water and I looked at it suspiciously, "Advil and some extra-strength Benadryl to help with the remaining effects of your allergic reaction."

I took the glass and the medicine then took the pills. I knew I would be passing out in a little while. Especially since I hadn't eaten anything since early last night and my sore stomach muscles told me I probably emptied my stomach out several times last night. I haven't felt this shitty since in a while. As if she had read my mind Bo sat on the edge of the bed with a bowl and I eyed it through my dropping eyelids, "What's that?"

Bo stirred the contents in the bowl carefully and with a small smile on her face she said, "Chicken broth. Thought we'd test the waters on your stomach before giving you solids."

I chuckled and remarked, "If you want to do that. I feel like I've been put through the wringer several times then tossed to the side."

Bo held up a spoonful of broth after she blew on it to cool it off and smiled, "Well you didn't throw-up all over my Spitfire t-shirt or my bed so I think we might be okay."

I was a hundred percent skeptical about Bo's motives right now especially since she was spoon feeding me. I did my best to open my eyes so I could narrow them at Bo, "What is your deal here Bo? Last I remember before my close brush with death you were laying into me for basically being an asshole, which I was, but this-," I gestured between us, "This is uncharted territory for us."

"Lauren can you just shut up for a moment and eat? Let me try, you can try to be a non-judgmental human being for once so I can take care of you."

I pressed my lips together then opened my mouth so Bo could put a spoonful of broth in it. If I died, I honestly wouldn't be surprised and it would be my own stupid fault because I trusted Bo when I was vulnerable. Bo fed me some broth. Neither of us said a word while she fed me and our silence wasn't one that was formed on a tenuous truce but of something different. I couldn't quite figure it out. Between spoonfuls of broth I looked around the room and I saw various plane models and paperweights so I asked, "You're really into planes huh?"

Bo smiled and said, "Yeah. Ever since I was a kid. I've always wanted to fly them but I found my talent in designing them and I never really went to pilot school, but that's my next goal."

I sat there and thought about that unguarded piece of information about the woman. I had a curious thought cross my mind, "Bo how did you get me out of hospital?"

In the low light of the room I was able to see the blush creep up Bo's neck. I'm certain it was embarrassment considering we haven't done or said anything that would warrant arousal. She cleared her throat and stirred the remnants' of soup as she avoided eye contact, "I told them I was your wife." I gawked at her. I wasn't expecting that one. She looked up at me and explained, "It was the only way I could make sure I was there. I-" She faltered and broke eye contact again. As she looked in the almost empty bowl she sighed, "I didn't want you to be alone."

That surprised me more than Bo telling me that she lied to hospital staff about her being my wife. Silence settled over us again. Bo was taking care of me even if she didn't have to and she was doing it despite her feelings for me. I reached for the glass that was on the night table, but Bo handed it to me before I could struggle with retrieving the glass. After taking a long drink of the cold water I mumbled, "Thanks for taking care of me."

Bo chuckled and looked at me, "It's nothing Lauren seriously." I yawned as the effects of the Benadryl started to come over me. Bo she rubbed my leg through the thick blanket that covered me and as she got up she said, "Get some sleep and depending how you feel I can take you home or I can cook you something."

I'm not certain which one I would pick. This side of Bo was something I would like to remain in the presence of. She was sweet, caring, and attentive. Nothing like her cold, biting, uncaring persona I've dealt with these last few times I've been around the woman. I settle down in the bed and I had one more question for Bo as I got comfortable, "Bo?"

"Yeah?"

I closed my eyes and pulled the blanket under my chin, "Why aren't you in England?"

There was a moment but then I felt Bo's finger tips run through my hair which lulled me closer to my inevitable sleep and she whispered, "Some things were more important Lauren. Some things are more important."

If I hadn't been under the effects of an antihistamine I would have asked more questions but I didn't and I let the feel of Bo's fingers running through my lull me a peaceful slumber that the drugs induced.

* * *

oooOOOOOooo

Sitting and watching Lauren sleep for a few minutes to make sure was sleeping comfortably, before I went to sit in my office to stare at the travel packet and realtor package Roxie sent over on Friday. This was my the next chapter in my life, but I couldn't help ruminating over the question Lauren asked before she passed out. Why wasn't I England? Why had I missed my flight and had Roxie rebook it for two days from now?

I had the solid answer when I called Roxie when I returned to my apartment with the blonde that was high as a kite and singing Miley Cyrus songs and giggling in between bear sized growling yawns.

Lauren. Lauren was the reason why I wasn't in England burying myself in work and retrofitting schedules.

Maybe it was the fear of truly losing something I couldn't gain by working my ass off in the ways I had done all of my life, or maybe it was seeing Lauren five minutes away from death shoved the reality of how short life really was, or it quite possibly was the way she looked at me when she woke up and squeezed my hand. Squeezing it like it was my heart in her hands and it was high time I listened to fate.

I felt deeply for Lauren and it was time that I found the more important things in my life that went past being the best aeronautical engineer in the world.

But then I saw how hesitant and tentative Lauren was waking up out of her haze and throwing up the cocky bootlegger attitude I had first tangled with, let alone her reaction to my fib of calling her my wife to get past the nurses. All of it cast a large shadow of doubt over everything in my heart. What if she wasn't ready? What if I had already done too much damage with my iron armor and being the impenetrable bitch? Shuffling the two packets I decided that I would take a change, tell and show Lauren in the small amount of time I had that I wanted her no matter how incompatible we clearly were. She was worth the Mike Tyson sized fight it would take to win her over.

I must have fallen asleep mid thought, my body ready to fall off it's own wheels from being up for close to twenty hours, and I passed out in my leather chair with my legs up on my desk.

I didn't hear my office door open, the floor creak under bare feet, or the old smoker's voice calling my name. I barely woke up when delicate fingers pushed the hair from my face,"Bo?"

"Mhmm. Give me two more minutes, I'll make the doughnuts." I was exhausted, dreaming of doughnuts from the corner, and how I wanted them with a pool of coffee for breakfast.

The soft laugh next to my ear was what shocked me awake, my eyes flicking open to see Lauren kneeling in front of me grinning in the cherished Spitfire shirt and baggy sweat shorts I had given the nurse to change Lauren into when I took her home. I sucked in a breath, clenching my jaw at how incredible she looked and how close her lips were to me. All I had to do was a lean a few inches forward and make a perfect landing.

I closed my eyes, my second and third doubts edging in. Lauren was not interested in me. I wasn't a twenty three year old with virgin understanding of the world. I was far too aged and had strong determined feelings for her. I knew I would be rejected in the snarkiest ways in a matter of moments. I forced myself to turn away from Lauren before I did a crazy and kissed the bootlegger, "Did you need more water or medication?" I slowly pulled sore, tingly legs from the desk.

"Actually, now that you mentioned making the doughnuts, I think I could go for one or a dozen." Lauren stood up, reaching her hand out for me to take. The look on her face was the same one I had seen at the soiree right before we had our verbal assault.

I hesitated, but couldn't resist and took her hand, "You look better."

"I feel better, but it seems I have slept for sixteen hours." Lauren glanced at my hand in hers, her voice quiet when she spoke, "Bo, I..."

I shook my head, not wanting to hear whatever snarky ridiculous justification she was about to utter as an excuse to leave. "Your dress is downstairs. You can keep what you have on, sadly your purse and other things are still at the venue last night. You can use the phone to call Tony to come and get you, I will have Roxie collect you purse." I shuffled towards the door, "I am going to the corner for coffee and doughnuts, the shower is in my bedroom, the one you just left."

Lauren's hand fell to my elbow, "Bo, I'm still high on Benadryl, but I am pretty sure you are jumping to a conclusion right now, like always."

I grimaced, looking at the warm hand on my elbow, "You were weirded out last night." I glanced at her eyes, "Waking up in my bed and acting like I was reenacting a scene from Misery."

Lauren shrugged, "That may have crossed my mind." She took a step closer, "It was strange to wake up in your bed and wake up seeing this incredibly warm and caring woman feed me broth and offer up her home." She looked at my elbow, "A far cry from the ice queen who has done nothing but shred me to pieces with her icy claws the last few times we've been together."

I rolled my eyes, hating that I felt so much for this assy woman. "Lauren, I did it because I wanted too." I swallowed hard, turning to face her. Now was a good of a time as any, at least I could say what I wanted and escape to the doughnut shop. Hide in a stack of Boston creams until Tony picked the blonde up and I could return for my luggage and head to England. "Lauren, I said a lot of things last night, much of it I regret and much of it I don't. Yeah, you were one step away from death by coconut and maybe my words were fueled by that fear." I paused looking up in her eyes, feeling them glass over, "But I was being honest when I told you I really like you. I don't know why, but sometimes you can't ask why, you just go with it. I like fighting you, arguing with you because it feels real. Realer than anything I have ever done with anyone else."

I waved my hand in the air, "I like fighting with you, I like looking at you, listening to you talk even if it's a pile of sass directed my way. I like that you have the childish audacity to throw grapes at the back of my head. More than any of that, I really like you a lot, Lauren Lewis, bootlegger."

Dropping my head down, I sniffled, cursing the damn emotional reaction I was having, "So, there's that. I will be back in five minutes, Tony knows where I live."

I went to step away, remove myself from her hand so I could escape to the city streets, when I was yanked back, turned around, with two warm strong hands falling to the sides of my face, pulling me towards those perfect lips that had been haunting me for weeks.

Lauren kissed me hard like I imagined she would, her lips soft and warm against mine, pressing harder in hopes that I would melt into them and respond.

And I did, it took me a hot second to get my hands to move to her hips and grip her tightly and kiss the damn bootlegger with everything I had. My head swimming with sparks, fireworks, a 72 piece marching band playing hallelujah in the background, I kissed the woman back. My heart pounding with excitement as the movement of her tongue against my bottom lip melted my iron armour to a puddle of pot metal. Opening my mouth, I let Lauren take control and matched her movements. Whimpering when I heard the delicate moan fall from her mouth when her hands slid to the back of my head and pushed me deeper into the kiss.

Fuck, this woman could kiss and I knew I was growing a debilitating addiction to her lips the longer we kissed.

She pulled back first, breathing heavily against my mouth, her lips still grazing mine as she whispered, "I might have to find that coconut and offer him my first born." She looked up in my eyes, grinning. "What were you saying about doughnuts?"

 **What will happen now? Tune in next time to find out...only two chapters left!**


	4. Chapter 4

The stupid device was taunting me. Taunting me for being too chicken to call Bo and even if I did call her it was probably too late. She was probably in first class of some plane she designed probably already forgotten about me. She had done her good deed for the city so it was time to move onto the next challenge. I leaned back in my office chair and stared up at the ceiling as I let out an aggravated growl. I should have called her yesterday. I told her I was going to. Bo had spent twenty-four hours taking care of me it was the least I could have done when we parted ways two days prior. Not mention the fact that we had shared a kiss that….I was still having a hard time to find the words that described that kiss. It wasn't perfect but it was close to it. It probably would have been perfect had I not still had those damn drugs floating around in my system. It was easy to blame the drugs because it prevented me from thinking about what really had driven me to kiss Bo that day.

I had actually seen Bo that day and my god she was beautiful. I had seen a glimpse of the real Bo at the vineyard and it had been the thing to draw me into her but what I had seen at her apartment took my breath away. She was a vulnerable and scared woman but her heart was so big. And for a moment I wanted to be a part of that. I wanted to experience that at least once. So I kissed her. We spent the rest of the day together then I decided it was time for me to go and she dropped me off at my apartment.

It had been a pretty good day and one that I hoped would continue the next day but then I pissed on it like a dog who hadn't been house broken. I let my stupid irrational fear of forming a deep connection with someone get in the way and so I didn't call Bo under the guise that I was giving her space because we had spent so much time together the other day. And now we were on day two and I just couldn't pick up the damn phone. Well I could pick it. I picked it up and tossed it into the top drawer of my desk so I wouldn't have to look at it. I picked up a list of distributors and stared at it for a moment then let it drop back down on my desk.

I covered my face and groaned. Self-sabotage is what this was. I was afraid of commitment and I had wrapped it up in a pretty little package then labelled it self-preservation. But that was far from the truth. Anything that resembled something that would lead to a healthy, romantic relationship caused me to turn around and high-tail it to the nearest undergraduate willing to fall for my sarcasm laced flirting and that's what anything with Bo would result in. But I didn't want to do that especially since I had seen the woman behind the façade. I let out another frustrated sigh and dropped my head on my desk. I hated this.

The door to my office opened and I groaned, "Get out of here."

"Uh….you okay there Chief? Is this an effect of your allergy episode?" Tony asked as he walked into my office.

I turned my head then looked at him and admitted, "I've screwed up Tony. So bad."

He closed the door to my office then sat down in the chair that was in front of my desk, "Let's talk it out Lauren because if we don't you'll be vomiting in my car and possibly crying if I think I know what this is about."

I lifted my head and pulled the post-it that was stuck to my forehead off as I sighed, "I like Bo. Like a lot. She is such a beautiful person and when she smiles, my heart smiles. But I'm scared Tone. I am so scared. I don't think I have ever been in a healthy relationship. I wouldn't have any idea how to start one let alone sustain one." I dropped my head back down on my desk, "I should just forget about Bo."

I closed my eyes and tears came to them. It was better to break my own heart now than to have to deal with the ramifications of hurting Bo. I felt a hand rub my back and Tony said, "Lauren I've known you for a long time now and this is the first time I've seen you like this. If she's worth it then you got to fight for her. You can't let her go because you're scared. That's a chicken shit of an excuse and I know you're a lot stronger than that. I mean you've fought tooth and nail to get this distillery up and running. Now go fight for your woman."

I brought my head up and asked, "But what if I fuck this all up?"

"Then you fuck it all up and if Bo is crazy about you like you are for her then she'll yell at you and call you an idiot before making it right. It's a relationship L-Dawg. There's going to be some tough times but there are going to be a lot more good ones though."

For once Tony made since about something I had no clue about. I took a deep breath and looked at the man who was not only my wingman, but also my best friend. "Sometimes you're not a total jackass."

He grinned and remarked, "Well you only have an emotional breakdown every so often so I've got to capitalise on it somehow." We shared a laugh then he wondered, "So what you gonna do?"

I punched him in the arm then said, "That first because you called me that god awful nickname."

Then I took a deep breath and opened the top drawer of her desk so I could pull out my cell phone. "And now I'm going to call Bo."

A wide smile came across Tony's face as he said, "Sounds like a plan." He began to leave my office and he pointed at me, "And you know you're all about the L-Dawg. A few shots of the silver label and you're all about it."

I shook my head and told him, "And you're back to being a jackass. That was short lived. Now can you leave so I can call the woman that seems to have captured my affections?"

Tony placed his hand over his chest and gasped, "You're so poetic when you're in love."

"I'm not in love." I scowled even though I felt a mild panic attack coming on. I don't do well with love. Oh god what was I thinking.

Tony chuckled and said, "I was kidding Lauren. In order for that to happen you would have to have the emotional aptitude for it and you're still lacking in that department." I picked up a pen and threw it at him. I had impeccable aim because the tip of it hit him in the forehead. I got a triumphant smile on my face as he grimaced and rubbed his forehead. "Ow. Okay. I get the point. I'm leaving."

As soon as the door was closed I called Bo and the phone rang a few times then it went to voicemail. I hesitated then I cleared my throat, "Hey Bo. It's me. Lauren. I um…I wanted to see how you were and thought we could talk or go out to dinner or something. Um...give me a call when you get this. Okay. Bye."

I ended the call then leaned back in my office chair. She was busy and that's why she didn't answer the phone. I held onto that thought like a life preserver because anything else I thought of was going to cause me to have a nervous breakdown and possibly an anxiety attack. I took a couple deep breath to clear my mind then I picked up the distributors list then got up from my desk and walked over to my door. As I opened it I shouted, "Hey Tony…you want to go to Vegas?" Getting lost in my work would prevent me from sitting in my office and waiting for Bo call me back.

I heard Tony reply from his office, "Are you even allowed in that city after last time?" I smirked. Thank god for Tony.

* * *

ooOOOOOOoooo

Summer in England was almost as perfect as summers up in the Hamptons, but cooler and less humid. I could bear to stand outside in my grey pantsuit and not curse the sun for the life giving heat it threw on humans. England summers made me more tolerant of the outside and the sun, more tolerant of people too.

Standing out in the middle of a large green, grassy field outside of Nottingham, surrounded by the old skeletons of my one true companion in life, I felt anxious. Anxious, tired, motivated, determined and under all of that, I felt like a dumb high schooler who had put all of her eggs in the basket of the captain of the football team, hoping he'd finally ask me out on that big date. But the captain was a blonde bootlegger with the softest lips I had ever kissed.

I scrunched up my face as I tilted my head at the under body of a B-29, reaching up to run my fingers over the smooth silver steel. I was trying really hard not to think about her, but I saw her everywhere. In the curves of the fuselage, the one stubborn rivet that stuck out from the rest, down to the faded blonde bombshell painted underneath the cockpit.

Lauren had not called and I resigned to the fact I was never going to hear from her. That she kissed me and spent the day after as a way of saying thanks for taking care of her, to make it easier for her to walk on to the next twenty three year old guilt free.

We had spent the rest of the day after we kissed, talking and sitting in my apartment. Talking about the random things people talk about when they are building a relationship or a friendship. I shared my deepest secret of wanting to fly a P-51 Mustang and feel like a fighter pilot during the prime of that planes life. She told me her deepest desire to make enough money as a distiller to buy a farmhouse in Montana and raise cattle. It was the easiest conversation I had with anyone, finding a side of Lauren that had me sighing contently and crushing on her like she was a member of a boy band and I was a tween girl, discovering all of my hormones at once.

Then I took her home, dropping her off with a heart full of excitement and what I thought could be something more for the woman. Lauren promising to call me the next day to get together for dinner or drinks, meet up and have one more date before I headed across the pond, diving back into the world of work.

But she never called that next day or the day after that. Nothing when I flew out of LaGuardia, nothing when I landed in Heathrow, and still nothing as I walked the factory floor with forty five male steelworkers, foremen and the best engineers and designers Royal Aire had to offer. Every step I took was one more step away from Lauren and the hopes that dropping my iron armour and opening my heart to her would have changed the one thing in my life I had not been able to change. Falling in love with someone I felt was worth it.

I spent the morning and most of the afternoon winning over said men and showing them how my retrofits could benefit them all and that together we could build an aircraft that would make our grandparents proud. All the while trying hold back the emotions of reality as I picked up every piece of armour I set out of the way for a blonde bootlegger.

After lunch, I left the meetings early having accomplished the first day's work right away and drove my rental Range Rover to the graveyard my new foreman Roger suggested. I figured that if I was going to stay in England, I could follow through on one of my other deep hidden desires, a lifelong project I had on my mind since I was a teenager.

Strolling under the B-29 I looked up to see the crown jewel of the reason why I had sought out all of the plane graveyards in the area around Nottingham.

I bit my bottom lip, trying to hold back the smile as I looked at the rusted out, wingless beauty. The green and brown paint had long faded to nothing and tall weeds had grown up into the cockpit. I hung my jacket on a propeller blade stuck in the ground, reaching up to hoist my body up to the cockpit. The cockpit had most of the vital bones, but it had seen better days after enduring seventy plus years in English weather.

I flung a leg over the edge of the cockpit and sighed, running my eyes over the twists and bends that held so much history. There were even a few bullet holes running across the front of it, making me even eager to learn more. I sat on the edge, zoning out in all of my nerdy glory, when my phone vibrated in my front shirt pocket.

I dug it out, my heart jumping at the notification of one missed call from Lauren and my stomach twisting in knots at the voicemail icon blinking at me.

I hesitated, until I finally said fuck it to the wind and hit the voicemail.

I closed my eyes when I heard her voice, realizing how much I missed it and how much I loved hearing it no matter what. Then I listened to the words, her hesitation and the clear tone of being forced to call me and leave the awkward message. Meaning Roxie and Tony threw her a guilt trip, probably after I made an off handed comment about forever being alone, even after actually telling the truth about my feelings for Lauren.

I clenched the phone; I didn't need a pity call. I didn't need Lauren to feel like she was obligated to call me. Fuck, at this point, I didn't need her to feel anything for me.

Shaking my head as my anger grew; I hit her contact and called her back. I had to end this, tell her that it was okay, I understood that I didn't quite fit into her life plans of not having an adult relationship and that it was fun for the day, but we should probably tap gloves and walk away before I punched her in the face for hurting my feelings deeper than they had ever been hurt before.

I gripped onto the sharp metal edges of the Spitfire, waiting for her to pick up, silently rehearsing the perfect thanks but no thanks speech to her.

"Bo?!" Lauren's loud voice scrambled all of the words in my head. God did I miss the way she said my name. I dropped my eyes to the rusted out instrument panel, hearing the beeps, blings and bells very distinctive sounds of a casino in the background.

"Hello Lauren." I swallowed hard; this was not going to be easy. My stupid heart was swelling with the want to tell her that I missed her, my vagina nagging me about that last kiss and what else it could mean about Lauren. I shook my head angrily, "I just got your message, I was busy on the factory floor."

"Hang on, Bo, it's really loud in here."

I paused, hearing Tony's voice in the far background, "Where are you Lauren?"

"I'm in Vegas, at the Bellagio." The background noise suddenly disappeared, "That's better." Lauren lowered her voice, "How are you Bo?"

I was on fire now. She could go to Vegas with that drunken party boy Tony, but couldn't pick up a goddamn phone and call me when I lived eight city blocks away from her. "Fine."

Lauren cleared her throat, "Um, sorry about not calling the last two days. Work got out of hand and um." She paused, "Can we do dinner in a couple days when I am back from Vegas?" Her tone was of pity, rubbing on my nerves more. Fuck Tony, Fuck Roxie and Fuck Lauren.

I rolled my eyes; of course Lauren would only be focused on her schedule and not have a damn clue in her pretty head that I was in England. She probably had a few cocktail waitresses on the hook for later that night. "Lauren, I am in England. Remember? I told you the other night when I dropped you off at your apartment. I will not be home for the three weeks." I sucked in a breath, deciding that it was now or ever. "Look, we had a good day. A day that I will remember for a long time." I paused, feeling the tears rise as my heart knew that I was about to end this, whatever this was and put on that stupid fucking armour again. Lauren had gotten in deep and left a mark on my heart and soul that I would cherish as much as I hated it. "But maybe we were wrong about this, about us. We both have crazy schedules and yea." A tear escaped and my voice wavered, "I have to go, Lauren. Maybe I will see you when I am back in the city."

"Bo, are you okay?" Lauren had picked up on the tremble in my voice. "I...um, I don't know how to do this."

I stopped her before she went any further. "Life is full of I don't know how to, Lauren, but at least I tried to know how to." I sniffled, wiping away tears as the wind blew hair over my face, "Goodbye Lauren."

Pulling the phone away, I could hear her voice scrambling to save this conversation, making my thumb to hover over the end button, as if too ask if this was what I really wanted. I clenched my jaw and ended the call, tossing the phone back into my pocket I slid down into the cockpit and started crying. Crying over the stupid bootlegger and her breaking my heart even before I had the chance to give it to her fully.

"Bo McCorrigan?" A heavily cockney accented voice rained from the blue sky above me.

Peering over the edge of the cockpit I saw a middle aged man in a dark blue coverall walk away from his vintage Range Rover, "Yes, and you must be Flip. Roger called you?"

The man grinned, "Aye, he did." He glanced at the metal hunk I sat in, "I see you found her."

I nodded, wiping my cheeks, "I did, right where Roger said it should be." I pushed up from the cockpit and climbed back down the side to meet Flip halfway. "It looks pretty good; the fuselage is in really good shape." I pointed at the propeller, "Do you have more parts on hand?"

Flip nodded, "About eighty percent of the parts are in the warehouse up at my office." He smiled at me, "So what are you thinking?"

I turned back, scanning over the Spitfire. "I'll take it."

He raised his eyebrows at me, "Roger said you were just visiting, it will cost a pretty pound or three to ship it over to the states."

I turned back to Flip, my eyes glassier than I wanted, "Oh, I'm staying here, Flip. I've decided to take the full transfer and call England my home." I swallowed hard, looking back at the Spitfire, "I will have plenty of time to work on restoring it. I have nothing but time on my hands after work." I moved to pick up my jacket, "We can work on details and storage up at your office?"

Flip smiled, "Of course, I took the liberty of getting all that set aside for you when Roger called." He waved me over to the Range Rover, "I'll give you a ride."

I nodded my thanks and when I took two steps, Flip asked the question I knew he was going to ask, "Your husband or wife transferring over with you?"

I shook my head, my stomach twisting at hearing the word wife, throwing still fresh memories of how I threw that word around attached to Lauren in hopes of being there for her at the hospital. A word that felt so right when I said it but now made my heart tighten. "No, I have no one but my job and that hunk of metal I am about to buy from you." I tried harder to smile, only wanting to cry, "Love and marriage isn't for me right now."

Flip gave me soft serious look, "I beg to differ, my girl." He winked, starting the car, "I think it's there, it's just sitting in someone who will make your eyes light up like I bet they did when you saw that Spitfire."

I fell silent, hating that Flip was right.

My eyes did light up when I saw a Spitfire, but it wasn't the one we were driving away from.

It was the one on the shirt Lauren wore when I realized far too many things about her.

One of them being I had fallen in love with her that same night.

* * *

oooOOOOOooooo

I took a hit off the cigarette that was between my fingers then exhaled the smoke on a frustrated breath. It had been a week since Bo and I had last talked. A week since that dreadful conversation where she put her ice wall back up with double reinforcement. She probably had two of the ice monster from Frozen standing guard in front of it. I took another drag from my cigarette. I had tried calling her every day while I was in Vegas and every day after that but I would get her voicemail. Now I wasn't getting anything.

I took a final hit off my cigarette then put it in the smokers post as I blew out the smoke. I opened the door of the restaurant that I was meeting Roxie and Tony at. As soon as I walked in I spotted them right away. They were sitting in a booth close to the back and the two of them were acting cute and adorable which caused me to scowl as I sat down, "If you two don't stop I'm going to vomit all over you."

Tony sucked air in through his teeth and asked, "What's up your ass? Also are you smoking again?"

I scoffed and opened the menu that was waiting for me. I didn't want to tell Roxie and Tony that this whole thing with Bo had me all messed up in the head. They had finally gotten a clear definition of their relationship and I didn't want to ruin that with my complicated feelings about Bo, although they weren't that complicated. The moment Bo pushed me away I was ready to go running to England to get her back but I had to close those deals in Vegas or I could have kissed my business goodbye. Also I was at a loss on how to even win the woman back or if there was anything to win back. I had never been in this position before.

Not having talked to her in a week left me feeling like I should leave things alone but this wasn't an option. Bo had managed to get into a part of me that I had kept protected for a long time now. But other than knowing her love of planes and other small factoids about the woman, none of it helped me in trying to woo the woman back. Bo wasn't a complex woman but she had high expectations and I wanted to go above those expectations. I closed the menu and looked at the two people I was eating lunch with, "Bo has stopped taking my calls and I'm a hundred percent certain that she has even blocked my number."

"Well Lauren you pretty much screwed her over." Roxie said in a pointed tone that told me that she wasn't going to help me as far as she could throw me.

I got a questioning look on my face, "Have you talked to her?"

Roxie took a sip of the soda that was in front of her then told me, "I'm not at liberty to say."

"You're not at liberty to say?" I repeated not holding back my irritation at the woman's response. "Are you fucking kidding me? I want to fix everything I fucked up and you're playing some sort of-"

"Because you screwed up Lauren. And not in a small way. So yeah I'm going to do whatever I have to do make sure you don't hurt her. Again." The serious expression on Roxie's face turned into a sad one as she sighed, "You didn't hear her. I-I've never heard her sound so I want to say, defeated."

A heavy weight landed on my heart. I hurt Bo. I wasn't trying to hurt her. I was trying to prevent from hurting her. God I'm an idiot. I covered my face with my hands and let out a heavy sigh. It was obvious that Bo felt something from me and I felt something for her but instead of listening to my heart, I listened to an irrational fear. I knew nothing in life was a sure thing but being afraid of something that I wanted wasn't helping me any and it was hurting the one person who I would do anything for just to see her smile. I lowered my hands from my face and pleaded with Roxie, "Please Roxie you got to tell me what's going on. I want to fix this. I've been a wreck since last week and I-" I paused then the words true to my heart came tumbling out, "I miss her."

Roxie took a deep breath then looked at Tony who said, "Hey it's your call. I've said my piece about this already."

I began to chew on my bottom lip as my nerves began to wreak havoc on me. This outspoken, unfiltered woman held my sanity in her hands. Roxie rubbed her temple and said, "Bo barely spoke to me about what's going on between you two but all I know is that before she left England she said she wasn't going to take the permanent position, but now she is. She's not coming back Lauren."

My heart dropped to the bottom of my stomach and my eyes began to tear up, "No. She can't." I took a deep breath to try to stave off the tears but failed as I breathed, "No-She-" I covered my mouth as I began to lose composure.

Roxie reached across the table and took hold of my other hand as she said, "I'm sorry but she has. I got the paperwork on my desk the other day about her relocation and the company announcement went out."

I wiped at my cheeks then ran my hand through my hair. I couldn't do this right now. This was such bullshit. I didn't get a chance to explain anything to Bo. I didn't get to tell her that I was scared. I didn't get to tell her how I really felt about her, and it was all my fault. I got up from the table and rushed out of the restaurant. When I was outside I covered my face as small sobs went through me. I fucked up the best thing to ever walk into my life because of a stupid fear and now I had nothing. I thought I would be okay but this wasn't okay. I was supposed to be with Bo. I felt Tony's arms wrap around me and he sighed, "It'll be okay Lauren you'll be onto the next emotionally stunted co-ed by two this afternoon."

I lifted my head then shoved him away and my voice rose as I said, "I don't want a stupid co-ed. I want Bo." Hearing those words out loud stopped my tears and brought back my determination. I pointed at Tony, "I'm going to get her back. I don't fucking care if I have to…" I trailed off as I realized what I had to do. I had to apologize to Bo and prove to her that I was wrong. I had to show her that I wanted to be with her. I wiped any residual tears off my face and stated, "I'm going to England but first I need to research something. Come on."

We went back into the restaurant and went to the table where Roxie was waiting for us. She gave me a sad smile, "You okay?"

Tony scoffed and remarked, "No. Now she's just crazy."

"Why?"

"Because I'm going to England but I need to do something first and I need your help." I explained after sliding into the booth.

Roxie got a wide smile on her face and she was eager to help me, "What do you need me to do Lauren?"

My leg began to bounce as my excitement grew for the plan that was rapidly forming in my head. "I need Bo's address in England. I'm going to send her a present. It'll cost me a bit but I'm going to do it because she's worth it."

Tony got a cautious look on his face, "What are you getting her?"

I chuckled and said, "She loves planes. I know a collector who has a massive collection of die cast World War II planes so I'm hoping I find something there. Shipping will blow but it's a start."

Roxie nodded and smirked, "I think I can take care of that."

I pulled out my phone and did a Google search on historic plane rides in England. I found one that was a Spitfire flight experience that did a flight over along the coast by the White Cliffs of Dover. This was the perfect gift for Bo. I didn't care how much everything cost as long as Bo enjoyed herself and that was all that mattered. I just hoped she didn't tell me to shove my gifts and apologies up my ass. I went into the small handbag that was next to me and as I pulled out my wallet I said, "I also need an accomplice to get Bo to Kent."

"Kent? What's in Kent?" Tony asked as he got the waiters attention.

I grinned and replied, "World War II airfield museum as well as a Spitfire tour of the coast. In an actual Spitfire." Roxie and Tony looked at me as if I had planned a trip to the most boring thing ever and I rolled my eyes as I asked, "Will you be able to get me an accomplice Rox? They can't let Bo know I'm there nor can they tell her where she's going. I want it to be like any other time we've been on a date." I smiled, "A surprise."

Roxie nodded and said, "Yup. I've got it and I know just the guy for the job."

After I purchased everything as well as my flight to England, which was in two days, I sat back and thought about my plan. I knew gifts and flight tours in an old plane weren't going to eradicate everything I had done but it was a start. The words that I would have to say would come eventually I just hoped they didn't come out wrong. But knowing me they would and instead of saying what I wanted to say I would most likely say the opposite. It didn't matter though. I was going to do whatever to fix the rift between Bo and I even if we ended up arguing. I wasn't going to let her go this easy.

* * *

ooooOOOOOOOoo

The work bench was covered in wires, vintage dials and notepads filled with my scribbles and doodles. Staring at the organized mess, I sighed, deciding if I wanted to work on the instrument panel today or sulk more.

It had been almost two weeks since I spoke to Lauren, four days since I changed my phone number, ditching my old phone for a triband one that would cut back on unnecessary charges. Well, at least that was the excuse at the time; truthfully I had to cut off all ties to the woman. Her constant quick voice mails left me sad and frustrated to the point I deleted them the second the icon popped on the screen with tears in my eyes.

I picked up the altimeter, cradling it my hand. I missed Lauren, but it was slowly fading the more work I forced upon myself at Royal Aire, then hiding away in Flip's old hangar down the road. Climbing around in the rusty Spitfire, scraping away the rust and age to find the blank canvas to start from.

I hadn't even bothered to unpack the boxes from New York Roxie graciously packed up and sent to my new address. Leaving them all as they sat and opening a few to be able to eat and dress properly for work. I was falling into an old routine but without the false bravado I carried just a few weeks ago before Lauren was a blip on my radar.

Now I was moving through life at a different pace, a pace where the only goal I had was getting the Spitfire flight ready by next summer and to hopefully get all the retrofitting done at Royal Aire before then. Then I would figure out the rest of my life. Royal Aire was a large company with many good looking employees, some who I could tell had already taken notice of me and soon I would be fielding interesting offers, dates and a handful of awkward flirty comments. There was one or two designers that had caught my eye and one very attractive redheaded forewoman who I hoped could hold out a few more weeks before asking me out for a drink.

The problem was still I saw Lauren everywhere. In dumb inter office emails about the domestic business, her stupid email address included in with everyone else. She was there in the stupid burlap bag from the vineyard, and then I would see her stupid bottles of bourbon at the import liquor shoppe next to the grocery store.

Worse of all, she would sneak up in my dreams. That stupidly amazing kiss, those stupid brown eyes and that stupid smirk she gave me when she cracked the joke about the coconut.

I could still feel her in my heart, begging me to call her and demand her to ask if that stick was still up my ass. Good lord, I had been the stupid one, falling for an emotionally stunted, stupidly gorgeous, charismatic woman who threw my world into a twirl and dropped me like dirty underwear.

Setting the round piece of history down, I looked out the oval pane window of the small shed I claimed as my workroom, looking back at the old English cottage house I moved into a day after I bought the Spitfire. I spotted a yellow delivery truck pulling into the dirt path behind the rental I was still tooling around in.

I left the workroom, smiling at the young delivery boy holding a decent sized package, "Hi, I can take that."

He grinned, holding out a clipboard for me to sign, "Just need a signature of receipt, ma'am."

I grinned, loving the way his accent made ma'am come out like mum. I scrawled my name and took the package, squinting at the address and the curious weight of it as I thank the kid. "Macon, Georgia?" I frowned at the mailing label, I didn't know anyone in Georgia and only Roxie knew my address.

I sighed and walked into the house, setting the package on my desk, I continued to frown wondering if Roxie had sent me an obnoxious house warming gift like she threatened. I grabbed a letter opener and ripped at the tape around the seams of the box, flipping the lid open to reveal a square sea of Styrofoam popcorn with a large bubble wrap blob securely set in the middle.

Groaning, I reached for the blob, "Roxie if this is a god damned tea pot shaped like the queen, I am sending it back with specific instructions to have it shoved up your ass." I blew out a hard breath, slowly unwrapping the object. Roxie had been on rant of all the stereotypical English things I would need now that I was living here, telling me she had been searching online for all the weird Queen Elizabeth themed housewares and would be sending them one by one.

After removing two layers of the protective wrap, a propeller then two, poked up at me attached to dark blue wings with the correct white markings on the wings. I felt my face shift from irritation to mild awe at what was in my hand. Moving quicker, I unwrapped the entire thing to reveal a die cast vintage replica of my third favourite airplane ever. A Grumman F7F Tigercat, the same airplane my grandfather built when he was a factory steelworker during the war. I lowered the very detailed and very expensive model, setting it on the desk carefully, bending down to look at it.

The model was perfectly detailed down to the hand painted cockpit. I had seen similar pieces at auctions or online, but they were far too expensive for me to justify buying it to sit on my desk and collect dust.

I stood up, digging in the box, flinging popcorn around trying to find a card or a note that would explain who had sent this my way, who would have the money or care to send me such an amazing piece. Dumping the entire box on the floor, I found nothing. Just a return address that when I searched it, came back to a post office in Macon, Georgia.

Placing my hands on my hips, I stared at the Tigercat, thinking. There was no one in my life that knew about the Tigercat outside of my family. None of them had the money or the want to send me something like this; neither did any of them have my new address. I knew Roxie couldn't have sent it, she never paid attention to anything I talked about when I went into airplane mode, and I knew how much she made. This replica would cost her at least three months salary and knowing her, that money was already spent on booze, trips to the Bahamas with her annoying party boy fling, and Coach purses.

I bent back down to pick up the Tigercat, looking it over once more, feeling the biggest and dopiest grin fall across my face. The thing was perfect and it made the nerd in me giddy for the moment. It was perfect and incredible, and for now I would enjoy the random, albeit creepy gift, and allow it to chase away the sulking blues I had for the last little while.

I carried the Tigercat to the empty bookshelf, setting it down gently in the middle. Immediately imagining where my other models would fit around the blue beauty. I smiled once more before leaving the room and heading back out to the workroom, finding a new gusto for the day.

I would work on the mystery later.

* * *

Four days had passed since the Tigercat fell on my doorstep and I was nowhere near closer to solving the mystery of who sent it. Roxie claimed absolute ignorance what a Tigercat was let alone she wasn't exactly sure where Macon, Georgia was. I even scrounged our vendor and customer account files hoping to place someone to that city. I was left with nothing but a parts supplier in Atlanta who rather despised me ever since I called them out on gouging me on the price of turbine filters.

Regardless of the mysterious means of how the Tigercat traveled four thousand miles, it did something to my spirit. Reset it, and motivated me to unpack the boxes and forget about her. I had gotten over my funk and was starting to acclimate to my new English life; I even had a coffee date with the redhead, Alicia, at the end of the day. I was finding my bravado, my confidence again, even if I was still wearing some of the armour, I wasn't going to let Lauren tarnish everything.

Sitting at my drawing table, working on the cockpit redesign for Royal Aire's own airbus, I was smiling. Thinking about Alicia and what she would look like out of her coveralls with her red hair down.

"Excuse me Ms. McCorrigan?" Roger's sweet chimney sweep from Mary Poppins accent rolled around the door frame.

I glanced up at him, grinning and waving him in, "Roger, come in, please." He nodded curtly, walking to stand in front of my desk as I swiveled around to face him, "How can I help you?"

Roger sucked in a slow breath, "I just spoke to Freidrich, we had that video conference meeting earlier with the foremen and the steelworkers to show him how far along we were with the new metal fittings."

I set my pencil down, "Yes, he and I talked about it yesterday. I want to try out lighter steel around the rear tail section, hoping it will cut down on drag and increase fuel efficiency." I gave Roger a strange look, "He signed off on it and I sent the approved forms to the plant this morning, and please call me Bo."

"Oh aye, you did, Ms. McCorrigan, er, Bo. There's nothing wrong with the new steel request and my team will be able to knock it out like nothing." Roger paused, "I need you to come to Kent with me. There's a steel mill over there that already has a few large panels we could use as test forms before we order a full load. Freidrich wants you to go as his proxy, see the whole milling process and use your magic to haggle out a good price." Roger smiled, shrugging, "Off the record, Flip told me that there is an old hoarder down the street that might have an original seat for your Spitfire."

I smirked, "Sold." I stood up, "We can leave in the morning."

Roger grimaced, "Actually, we need to leave in the next hour." He shrugged again, "Freidrich wants numbers by the morning, something about presenting it to the board before noon."

I sighed hard, rolling my eyes. Of course Freidrich would want something last minute, he never operated any other way. "Fine. Let me collect my things and I will meet you downstairs by my car." I glanced at my foreman before he left, "Roger, you can drive? I am still getting adjusted to this country's backwards driving."

Roger laughed, winking at me, "You mean relearning how to drive the right way?" There was a glint of mischief in his eyes that had me wondering why he was so excited to drive to a steel mill when he lived and breathed the metal every day.

I playfully scowled at him as he left my office and grabbed my briefcase and small bag of clothes I had brought to change into for the coffee date later. If anything, at least I would be comfortable for this impromptu road trip. I walked out of my office, sending Alicia a message asking if we could change it from coffee to dinner and drinks.

Today was shaping up to be a good day.

 _Two hours later_

"Um, Roger, I think you missed the exit for the steel mill?" I turned in my seat, looking at the blue sign telling me we should have turned left and not right.

Roger kept driving, "There's time for that later, I have to take you somewhere first." He stole a look at me, the mischief in his eyes sparkling heavily, "I am a man sent on a mission."

I gave him a dirty look, "I know we missed tea time, but I am sure you can catch up later." I tugged on the edges of the leather jacket I wore, covering up the faded P-35 stretched over my chest.

Roger rolled his eyes at me, taking a slow right turn, "Not all English drink tea like it's our lifeblood."

I chuckled, "Could have fooled me." I bent my head down to catch the giant sign in front of us. "Welcome to Flying with Legends?" I turned to my driver, "What is this?"

Roger shrugged a smirk on his face, "You'll see Bo, you'll see."

I huffed; I hated surprises and wasting my time, even though the sight of a runway and old hangars had me intrigued. The further we drove, the more curious I became, spotting a B-17 next to a Hurricane in a hangar. "Roger, is this the hoarder you were telling me about?"

He shrugged again, maintaining his silence as he parked the Range Rover in front of a hangar with the door closed. Shutting off the car, he turned to face me, finally breaking his silence. "All I am to do is deliver you here, shove your arse out of the car and drive away, not to return until I get the signal."

I scowled at him, "What the hell are you taking about? And why does it sound like you are drug dealer, using me as bait?"

Roger chuckled, reaching across me to open the door and shove me on the shoulder, "Out you get, girl."

I was caught off guard and half fell out of the car, "Dammit, Roger! I am going to kick you in your English muffins if you don't tell me what's going on!"

All I got was a chuckle with a shake of his head as he closed the car door and backed away, hollering through the open window, "Go in the hangar, Bo. Your Spitfire is waiting for you." He winked obnoxiously at me, before speeding off the way we came in.

"Fucking English, and they wonder why we dumped their tea in the harbour." I huffed, tugging my jacket over my shoulders. "Go in the hangar, Bo." I mocked his accent terribly, "Go in the hangar and become a black market hooker in Hong Kong." I dug around in my back pocket for my phone, cursing when I remembered I left it the fucking middle console of my car. The same car Roger basically stole from me. "Son of a bitch." I folded my arms over my chest, looking around for someone to help, but there wasn't a damn soul in sight. Just hangars with airplanes.

I clenched my jaw, staring at the hangar in front of me. Fuck it, I would play Roger's stupid game and go in there, see what the hell he was talking about, my Spitfire waiting for me. My Spitfire was in pieces and I had just left it this morning after picking up the altimeter and gyroscope to work on during lunch.

I rolled my eyes, dropping my arms down and strode over to the small door next to the massive hangar door. I shoved it open only to be stopped in my tracks at the sight of a fully restored Spitfire gleaming in all of its glory in the middle of the shiny hangar floor.

"Oh my god." I half whispered it. I was in awe; I had never seen a Spitfire up close. I had only pictures and models to drool and dream over. Nothing close to the real thing that was standing before me.

I took a deep breath to settle my excitement, breathing in deep the smells of petrol, oil and grease that came with a fully working vintage airplane that ate and bled those three. I walked closer to the propeller, reaching my hand out to run my fingers over the yellow tip of the blade. The grin taking over my face as I felt the smooth metal on my fingertips.

I moved to stand off to the side of the front exhaust, looking up at the cockpit, stopping at the cursive writing painted right underneath the edge of the cockpit. I gasped as I read the writing out loud, "Bo McCorrigan." My hand fell to the white painted on letters, "What the hell is going on?"

"It's customary for the pilot of the airplane to have her name painted on the body near the cockpit before the first flight. We tried to fit flight attendant on there, but it was too many letters."

Her voice startled me for a million different reasons, one of them being she scared the living shit out of me by sneaking up on me in an empty hangar in the creepiest circumstances of my life and two, because I wasn't sure if I'd ever hear it again.

I closed my eyes before turning around, opening them when I could hear her step closer.

Lauren stood in front of me, smiling at me in a way that betrayed her usual arrogant flippant ways. She was holding a green flight suit folded up, with a flight helmet on top. "Hi Bo."

I clenched my jaw, fighting a thousand different emotions that stuck at once at the simple sight of the cursed beautiful blonde bootlegger standing in front of me. In England. In front of a Spitfire.

That's when it clicked; your Spitfire is waiting for you.

I dropped my head cursing Roger and Roxie, before whispering through a teary voice, "What are you doing here, Lauren?"

* * *

oooOOOOOOoooo

The look of awe on Bo's face when I had walked around the nose of the plane told me I had made the right choice. She was captivated by the plane, which now that I had seen it in person I understood her fascination, but she looked so beautiful. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and hung down the back of her leather jacket. I was an idiot for letting this woman go but this was why I was here. To get her back and let her know that I hadn't dismissed her or us. When Bo let out a soft gasp I knew she had seen that I had the crew paint her name under the cockpit. My palms were sweating under the sturdy fabric of the flight suit I had gotten for this occasion and I swallowed a few time before saying, "It's customary for the pilot of the airplane to have her name painted on the body near the cockpit before the first flight. We tried to fit flight attendant on there, but it was too many letters."

I saw Bo's body give a slight jerk and it was another moment before she turned to look at me. I saw an array of emotions play out in her eyes before she settled for the hard, expressionless look. But seeing the hope in Bo's eyes for a split second gave me hope that maybe all this wasn't in vain and that I had to my damnedest not to screw this up. A couple of minutes had passed where the two of us were looking at each other then Bo got an irritated look on her face, but her voice betrayed her and I was able to hear the pain in her voice, "What are you doing here, Lauren?"

My throat tightened at the question. I was unable to form the words that told incredible, stunning, and intelligent woman that I was falling for her and wanted to be serious about us. To give someone that much control over my happiness was scary as shit but the alternative wasn't any better. I felt like I was going to vomit. The irritated look on Bo's face got worse and she repeated herself enunciating each word as if I lacked the mental faculties to register them, "What are you doing here?"

My annoyance towards her flared and I took a deep to get control of it. This definitely wouldn't go my way if I started arguing with her. I ran my hand through my hair and said fuck it. I placed the helmet and flight suit on the wing of the plane then walked under so that I was now standing in front of her. Bo had a confused look on her face and was biting her lip in apprehension. She wanted this. And I wanted this so that was all I needed to shove my fear aside. I moved closer to Bo then reached out to rest my hand on the back of her neck. As a leaned in I held my breath because I was certain she was going to push me away but our lips met for the softest of kisses. She hadn't pushed me away but she was resistant at first. I was about to pull away but Bo took me by surprised when her hands came up to hold the side of my face as she began to kiss back. Bo was a marvelous kisser and as our lips moved against each other I never wanted those tantalising lips to leave mine. Unfortunately Bo must have come to her senses and she shoved me away from her. As she tried to catch her breath she exclaimed, "You can't do that. You can't come in here with your stupid plane, and your stupid kisses thinking that I still feel something for you Lauren."

I let a small laugh and I wiped my bottom lip with my index finger and thumb I remarked, "You sure could have fooled me considering your tongue was half way down my throat."

Bo scoffed and rolled her eyes in annoyance, "Oh great some more of your sparkling wit. What the hell are you doing here Lauren? I got the message last time. I'm not some emotionally inept twenty-something so I'm not worth your time. I got it and I'm fine with it."

"I'm not fine with it Bo." I shot back. I took a deep breath then sighed, "I'm starting to think that I'm emotionally inept one here. Bo..." I stopped to get my thoughts together and Bo got an impatient look on her face. This wasn't going as I planned but I should have known it wouldn't as soon as my lips were on hers. "I suck at this Bo. I suck at relationships. I suck at feelings and I'm afraid of getting hurt." I began to pace as a severe case of word vomit hit me, "I sleep with emotionally inept twenty-somethings because I'm emotionally cautious and because they don't want anything beyond a one night it makes everything okay. It's okay because it gets rid of the ugly emotions, the nasty attachments, and if all goes upside down then there are no nasty break –ups. Just a block of a number or a quick text saying we had a good run. But this, with you, it's all that and more." I stopped pacing and I looked at Bo, "You are a frustrating, frigid woman who jumps to conclusions and bites the heads off people without so much of a second thought."

"If this is you trying to win back my affections I just want to let you know that you're not getting anywhere with this."

I laughed a little then pointed at her, "See? I'm not even finished yet and you interject your two cents because you feel entitled to." I shook my head, "And what is so horrible about this, but also so wonderful, is that I wouldn't have it any other way. I seem to be a masochist for your brand of verbal sparring. I haven't been called a criminal in while and I need my fix."

Bo had a skeptical look on her face and she asked, "So what does this mean Lauren? None of this is telling me anything besides the fact that you like my bitchy personality and that you're fond of disposable relationships which I already knew."

I got frustrated with my lack of being able to tell Bo how I felt and I ran both hand through my hair then kept them there as I said, my voice rising, "What this means you insufferable woman is that I'm falling in love with you."

"You're what?" Bo asked and I could hear the amazement in her voice.

I dropped my hands to my side and breathed, "I'm falling in love with you or I think I'm in love with you. I don't know. All I know is that I can't-I feel like I'm missing something. It wasn't an obvious thing that had happened it was gradual. Then Roxie told me you were moving here permanently and I couldn't let that happen without telling you how I felt or letting you know why I didn't call you." I began to pace again, "I was scared Bo and I'm still am because I don't want to hurt you but I've realized that no matter what I do, I'm going to hurt you. You have a big heart behind that frigid facade Bo, and I don't want to be the reason why the walls around it get thicker. And I'm sorry Bo. I'm sorry how I handled everything. I wanted to call you but every time I looked at the phone I thought about how messed up I am and how you were better off without me-"

"I'm the only one who can decide what's not good for me Lauren. You never gave me the option. You took that away from me. I don't know if you're someone I want to be involved with. You let your fears dictate your actions and what's not to say at some point that they will cause you to do something that will hurt me again?" I can't do that Lauren." My heart broke at the vulnerability and pain I could hear in Bo's voice. I was done hurting her and I was never going to hurt her again.

I moved closer towards her and as I took her hand I sighed, "I'm a fuck-up Bo. Not in an obvious way but more so in a I can be a self-involved person and I cut people out with no regard their feelings. I don't mean to I just get one-track minded but I want to change that. For you. I want the chance to prove to you that this could work."

Bo looked at me for a second then she looked away. For a moment I thought she wanted to say okay but she wouldn't be Bo if she wasn't stubborn. She looked back at me and scowled, "And what about all your flings and Vegas whores?"

I got a confused look on my face, "Vegas whores?

Bo scoffed, although it didn't have quite the same level of disdain and annoyance behind it, "Weren't you in Vegas a few weeks ago? The last time we talked?"

I then realized what she was talking about and I laughed which caused the scowl to reappear. I took a deep breath then said, "I was in Vegas for all of twenty-four hours closing contracts. That was a business trip and nothing pleasurable occurred. And I don't have any flings Bo. I haven't seen anyone since before our second date." I had a thought and asked, "Is that why you frosted me out? Because you thought I was in Vegas sleeping around?"

Bo had lost her fight but she sighed, "What else was I supposed to think Lauren? I don't know a lot about you and you have admitted to sleeping around so what other conclusion was I going to come to?"

I bit the inside of my lip then commented, "Oh I don't know Bo, you could have asked."

Bo's eyes narrowed at me and she replied, "And like I was in any position to ask 'Hey Lauren are you screwing anyone in Vegas?' We had spent a day together and then you were a ghost so how is that appropriate?"

"It isn't Bo but it's better than you jumping to conclusions." The conversation had gone off topic so I took a deep breath then said, "It doesn't matter. I'm not sleeping with anyone and I'm only interested in sleeping with you." I realized how that sounded so I backtracked, "I mean I want to do more than sleep with and that's only if that's something you want to do." I shook my head. I was destroying this. I smiled at her and added, "And if you just want to be friends that's fine too. I can at least say I tried."

Bo and I looked at each other for a moment then the side entrance of hangar opened and the our pilot for the day came in and asked, "Just checking to see if you were ready to go up."

I took another second to look in Bo's eyes hoping to get a read on her feelings but I couldn't decipher anything. I let go of her hand and I walked over to the wing I had put the flight suit and helmet on and grabbed them. I handed it to Bo and said, "Go up Bo. You deserve it."

I shoved my hands in my pockets and began to walk out of the hangar. Tears blurred my vision as I walked. I went into the museum that was next door and I saw that the kind, older gentleman that was my accomplice was looking at one of the suspended plane models. He turned his head and got a bright smile on his face, "Well?"

A few tears fell as I shrugged. I took a deep breath then sniffed, "I don't know."

He gave my shoulder a reassuring pat, "Don't worry girl. Like the planes she builds and desires to fly she'll realize that you are the fuel that keeps her aloft."

I chuckled and wiped my cheek, "That was a god-awful analogy."

The man just smiled and shrugged. I hope he was right though. I did give Bo a lot and now the ball was in her court and I hoped she was able to see how serious I was and how much I wanted to be with her.

* * *

oooOOOOOOOooo

I was stunned silent, I couldn't figure out if I had been complimented, insulted, apologized to and had someone tell me that they were either in love with me or was falling in love with me.

My brain was literally short fused and the one residual emotion was that I was still pissed off that Lauren had the balls and audacity to think she could swoop in like Batgirl and save the day. The last few words were the ones that hit me like a taser to the heart, the bed hopping woman had plainly told me she shut up shop and only wanted me, but it felt off in the way she laid it out for me.

Looking down at the flight suit and helmet in my hands, I felt my anger rile up. She was going to try and fix this with fringe information that she probably paid Roxie for. I sighed hard, wanting to throw it all on the floor, stomp out that side door and give her one more piece of my mind.

"Excuse me, Bo? If you're ready, we can get up in the air in the next five minutes." The kind pilot's voice snapped me out of my rolling ball of anger. I turned to face him with a blank look on my face, "What did you say?"

He smiled softly, pointing at the gear in my hands, "If you want to put the suit on over your clothes, I can go over the details in the cockpit. Word has it you have flown more than once or twice."

I nodded, still confused, "Uh yes, I have." I looked down at the top of the helmet, asking the pilot, "What is this flight we are going on?"

"It's a flight over the Cliffs of Dover, and then we will tool around for an hour, taking the same path the good ole boys did during the war." He winked at me, "And a couple of other surprises."

I clenched my jaw, trying to hold back the nerd grin that was about to attack my face, "Do you do refunds? I will make sure you get a payment on my way out." I kept my tone emotionless, I was floored by the length Lauren had gone too, but it was just a gesture to fool me into hearing her words.

The pilot gave me a look, "But, you're lady…."

"She's not my lady." I gave him a stern look, setting the helmet down on the wing so I could get into the flight suit. If anything I would take the opportunity Lauren gave me and fly, but I would not allow her to take credit for it.

The pilot held up his hands in silent acknowledgement, "I will do the pre-flight check, go ahead and sit in the cockpit when you're set." He backed up, moving to the rear tail section.

I shook my head, shoving one leg than another into the green suit, turning to look over my shoulder out of habit to see if any pervs were trying to get their jollies by watching a lady dress. I caught the open side hangar door, directing my view into the museum gift shop next door where a cute old man was smiling and talking. That's when her blonde hair came into view, sending my heart into erratic rhythm. God I hated the way my body and heart lunged for her when I wanted nothing but to run away from her. I stared a moment too long, zipping up the suit when she turned and we made eye contact. Her eyes were red and glassy, and she smiled defeated at me before walking away.

For a split second, I felt like a stodgy idiot, but then I remembered how she pushed me away when I was so open and so vulnerable with her, hoping she would have taken the hint then and ran with it, instead of waiting days and weeks for me to be the bad guy and give her the green light to return to her shitty ways. I frowned, shaking my head, "Don't fall for it, Bo, you have a million times before and it leads to nothing but more trouble." Don't fall for it when you've already fallen for her.

I tugged the zipper up and walked away, towards the pilot with a smile.

Twenty minutes later I was in my element, deep in the blue skies of England flying over the English Channel and looking down at the second most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I was ecstatic, entranced and consumed by the deep throaty rumble of a real engine under my seat. The way the propellers cut through the air and threw back the rich exhaust into the cockpit, I was literally in heaven. All was forgotten around me like a kid on Christmas morning, one goal in mind.

"Bo? Can you hear me?" The pilot's voice crackled in my headphones.

"I can." I could hear the shit eating grin in my own voice and I was starting to get embarrassed at myself.

"Perfect. I am going to level us out. You see that black round thingamajig in front of you?"

"Yes." I glanced down, "The flight controls right?"

"You got it." The pilot leveled the Spitfire out, "I want you to grab on to it, be mindful of the brake lever to your left. Now put your feet into the stirrups in front of your feet, and tell me when you have all three in your control."

I hesitated a second, realizing what he was doing, "Um, I've never actually flown a plane."

He chuckled, "Today is your first lesson, Bo, you're lady…er friend specifically requested this bit. Do you have a good grip?"

I nodded, losing my voice for a moment, having to clear my throat to push the words out, "I do, yes."

"Then she is all yours, you have the plane."

I felt the wings dip and tilt as I flinched feeling him release controls over to me. "Oh fucking shit."

The pilot laughed, "Just relax and it's like riding a bike. I will be right behind you and if it helps I will chat as you take us one more loop around the cliffs. Just press on the rudder you want and move the stick in the same direction."

I nodded again, feeling the sweat and adrenaline race through my blood. I was flying a priceless vintage aircraft and I barely remembered how to ride a bike.

"Bo, rumor has it that we have two of your favorite war planes in our hangars. I will take you, if you would like, when we land. We have a beautiful P-51 on loan from a nice gent the states. Of course you are sitting in a Spitfire and we did have a Tigercat last month, but it's moved on to France for a bit."

I flinched, making the plane dip a little too hard right, "Excuse me?" I straightened the wings out, feeling my heart pound at the pieces of information that no one really knew that was being fed to me by a complete stranger.

"Your lady…um friend, she called us a few weeks ago, spoke to Carter in the shop, looking for a die cast models of those three beauties. He re-directed her to a fellow out in Georgia. Carter and I searched high and low in the back stocks in his basement for any of those. Carter is a bit of a pack rat."

I felt my eyes well up to the point I had to blink a few times to be able to see out the cockpit window, "Can you take the controls again for a moment; I need to stretch my hands."

"Sure thing."

I waited until he gave me the go ahead and let go, wiping away the tears as they rushed forth. I suddenly remembered the one conversation I had with Lauren over doughnuts and coffee, I ranted on and on about my top three vintage aircraft and even gave reasons why, but when I looked over at her, she had the glossed over blank look everyone in my life had when I went into airplane mode. She was behind the mystery package that brought me out of my funk and melted the iceberg in me down. I bit my lip, looking back, Lauren was the only one who melted my iceberg, my heart and everything else that was seized up in me. Not allowing me to embrace change and love.

I let out a shuddered breath, this wasn't a simple gesture, and this was a grand gesture. The only way Lauren knew how to navigate her dumb mouth. The only way she could prove to me without us falling back into shitty habits and fighting with each other. And my stupid jealousy and past prevented me from listening, looking and feeling what I wanted too when she came around from under the propeller.

Then there was that dumb kiss, that amazing soft kiss that I was so pissed off that my body reacted and had me returning.

Fuck.

What was I doing? I was being the dumb fucking idiot refusing and shitting all over Lauren's attempt to apologize and woo me over. Woo me over in a way that no one had ever tried or accomplished. Then the sinking truth hit my stomach like a bad burrito.

I was in love with her and I couldn't talk my way out of it, no matter how much I wanted to gut punch her for being everything I despised in a possible partner.

I was in love with the obnoxious and arrogant woman, like romantic comedy stupid blinding in love with her and I couldn't see a way out of it, or really I didn't want to see a way out of it. I wanted her, I wanted to be with her and be the only thirty three year old she slept with that put the twenty three year olds to shame.

I sighed, letting the tears ebb away as I looked out on the white cliffs. This moment was perfect. I wished she was next to me, making some sarcastic unwelcome comment about everything.

"Bo? I am going to take us down now, there's a small storm coming to the west and it might cause us a bump or two."

"Yeah, okay." I heard the waver in my voice, my anxiety building, there was a small storm brewing in my gut, a big ole I fucked it up storm. What if she was gone when we landed, what if she took my bitchiness as the last straw and hit the road back to the airport. "How long until we land?"

"Five minutes."

I nodded, letting out a slow breath, wishing to god and all that was holy that Carter would let me use his phone and have Lauren's number handy.

 ** _Seven minutes later-_**

The pilot was taxing the Spitfire back towards the hangar, I was running sweaty hands over my thighs, wishing he would move faster as I scanned the green fields made greener by the darkening storm clouds. I mumbled, "Hurry, hurry, hurry." Searching for any sign of the blonde like I was a meth addict looking for her next fix, in a way I was. But it was those stupid soft lips I was addicted too and the assy beautiful woman they were attached too.

The Spitfire slowed down and when I turned my head to the right I saw her. Standing next a hangar, leaning against it smoking and looking down as something in her hand. I sucked in a slow, nervous breath, "Can you stop the plane, like right here? So I can get out?"

"Sure? But we're just an inch away." The pilot was confused, but slowed the plane down.

I scrambled, unhooking the harness and pushing open the latch to climb out of the cockpit, the plane still moving as I hit the ground practically running, feeling like I was re-enacting a scene from Top Gun. I fumbled with the helmet straps, the blonde dead ahead in my sights, I started moving quicker, almost charging at Lauren like a bull on the run.

She turned to blow smoke away from her face, her eyes widening as she caught my manic appearance. I tossed the helmet to the ground, half shouting, "What are my three favorite planes and why are they my favorite?"

Lauren scrunched her face up, "What the hell are you talking about?"

I grit my teeth, repeating the question the closer I got, "What are my three favorite planes and why?" I said each word carefully and with emphasis.

She sighed rolling her eyes, flicking her cigarette butt into a trash can, answering in her infamous agitated tone, "The Spitfire is number one because of the lines and it was the very first airplane you saw in a museum as a kid and you fell in love. The P-51 is second because it was basically the Spitfire's redheaded stepsister and lastly the Grumman F7F Tigercat because your grandfather built them during the war and he was the reason why you chose aeronautical engineering." She threw her hands up in defeat, "I tried Bo, I listened and I tried, there's no reason for you come at me like an angry bull for things you told me. Especially when I took your advice and tried to know how to do this, be someone for you."

I shook my head and continued to charge her until I was close enough to grab the sides of her face and kiss her with everything I had in me. All of the hate, the irritation, the desire, the passion and the love I felt for this ridiculous woman, I threw it into that kiss and threw my body against hers, causing her to groan and step back. She lost balance and began to fall backwards, and grabbed onto my waist to steady her and us as we fell.

We hit the soft ground with a collective oomph, the force breaking off the kiss well before I wanted too. I let out a breath, pressing my forehead against hers, "This doesn't change what you did…"

Lauren groaned and went to push me off of her, I pinned her to the ground with my hips, "Listen for a goddamn second." I waited until she looked me in the eyes, "You sent the Tigercat."

Lauren looked in my eyes, her jaw twitching, "I did. I couldn't find a Spitfire…"

I pressed my fingers over her lips, "You did this for me because you listened, you listened to me that day we spent together, no one has ever done that. The only day in my life I actually shared pieces of my true self with someone, the only time I ever opened my heart to let someone or something other than planes in. I've never done that and then have someone care to keep the things I've shared close to them. Just cast them away when they were done with me." I licked my lips, my own eyes welling up as I breathed heavier, "I have no clue why my heart chose you of all people, but it has."

Lauren gave me a dirty look, "What are you trying to say as you're smothering me."

I rolled my eyes, "I am trying to tell you….that I am in love with you, Lauren Lewis, bootlegger. And god help me why the hell it's you of all people, and at the same time there is no one else I would rather it be."

Lauren's face softened, her hand moved to brush my hair from my face, "So you tackle me like a New York Giants line backer, kiss me like I have never been kissed before, and then semi-berate me, and that is how you tell me you love me?"

I huffed, pushing up to get off of her, "You know what, never mind."

I was halfway up when two firm hands grabbed my forearms, pulling me back flush against the woman, "It took all of that for me to realize that I may not ever understand how a woman like you is so trigger happy to jump to conclusions, but Bo McCorrigan, I think, no, I know I am in love with you." She raised an eyebrow as she smirked, "The topper was you tackling me like that, it's kinda hot."

I closed my eyes, shaking my head, "You're a pain in the ass."

"Maybe, but you make me want to be a better pain in the ass." Lauren chuckled as she grabbed my face and brought out lips together, kissing me like she did that day in my apartment. Whispering against my lips as she moved to readjust, "I love you, Bo."

The way she said it filled my entire being with a feeling that I couldn't describe, nor wanted too. I just grinned, brushing my lips over hers, "I love you, Lauren."

Fuck if I knew what I was doing with this woman, but whatever it was, it made sense and there wasn't a damn thing I wanted to change about it, making out with a beautiful blonde in the weeds of an English airfield with a Spitfire behind my shoulder.

Everything finally made sense, even if I still thought blind dates were born from the devils bowels.

 **and there you have it! Next week will be the series finale with a epilogue! (maybe)**


	5. Chapter 5

**N: here it is! the epilogue to the blind date collaboration! i hope you all had as much fun reading it as i did writing with Writingsux. We have concluded that we are good together but can't write anything quick and short. Maybe one day we will team up again and wreak more havoc, but in the meantime, enjoy this last episode.**

 **Also if any of you are heading to Dcon, stay tuned to my twitter, i may have a dumb contest for you all who are going. Winner gets a hard copy of the LG RA before it leaves ff.**

 **Enjoy and thank you!**

* * *

 _One and a half years later –_

I was grumpy, borderline miserable.

She had been gone a week and it was starting to dig into everything in me. It was the longest time we had spent apart since the love gods Eros and Aphrodite decided that our hearts were only meant to belong to each other, and it sucked.

I missed Lauren, but not in a sweeping romance way where I wept at night in bed clutching her pillow or swathed myself in her clothes to immerse my world in her scent of almond shampoo, her perfume and sometimes, rare sometimes, stale cigarettes when she was super stressed out. I missed her, I missed her forgetting to leave the Vodka samples at work and not in unlabeled glass bottles in the fridge where I mistook them for water, coming home late and sleeping in late, convincing me to do the same with her wily ways of seduction that had me melting at first and second touches and removing all of my clothes. I missed Lauren, my unimaginable imperfect but utterly perfect better half, the woman who made me complete. I missed my girlfriend that I adored, the woman I spent hours and days with sharing the deepest wells of our lives and falling even more in love with each other as we did embark on taking a chance and getting to know each other.

I missed the woman I loved more than airplanes.

After that sunny stormy day in England where I tackled her, we went on a real date that night. A real date that was truly amazing and awkward. She had reservations at a nice restaurant in London where we dressed up in fancy out firs, ate, drank non-coconut drinks and started the first steps of trying to shape a relationship.

That date turned into a few more in the two weeks she was in England and the night before she left to return to New York, we consummated our love to hate to love tension in a spectacular way. She still has the scar on her left cheek from a B-17 propeller stabbing her as I practically threw her on top of my desk naked to show her what a twenty three year old never could. In turn, Lauren showed me why the twenty three year olds flocked to her in droves.

After she went home, we did long distance and that was a shitstorm times ten. The time difference sucked, our work schedules sucked and my jealousy and her lack of communication skills made it suck harder. We almost called it quits in the first few months, until she would do the stupidest sweetest things that made me melt. Send me postcards with airplanes on them with her attempts at love poems, find Spitfire parts during her travels and send them back, and more than anything, she would call me once a night and talk to me until I fell asleep with the phone against my ear, her last words always being "I love you, Bo."

Lauren opened up a side of me I had no idea existed and as a result, I sent more bouquets of flowers, love notes, and other random gifts to show her how much I loved her. When she let it slip she was a huge closet Mets fan, I surprised her on our one year by renting out the stadium for us to have a night of batting practice. I had a jersey made with her name on it and had a full hot dog and beer buffet prepared for her. I grinned at the memory, and how we took full advantage of the privacy of an empty baseball stadium. I still had the scar on my knee from falling off the dugout bench, naked.

I sighed, leaning on a hand at my desk, my pen moving in slow circles. I had been working throughout the day, trying hard not to think about her every second and a half, but it was hard. Harder now that we lived together for the last six months.

Lauren was the one who showed up on my doorstep with her luggage, big dopey grin on her face, telling me that she was over the long distance and that she had bought the big cottage house next to mine for us to move in. I was shocked, but ecstatic she was the one who wanted to take the next step. Lauren revealed that she had been working on expanding Ignis Aqua overseas now that the contract with PacEast had gone global and a few luxury hotels in Europe had now optioned for her liquor to be a showcase item in their bars and restaurants. I tried to talk her out of it; I could have easily transferred back to New York and live there. But she didn't hear me out, just silenced me with a kiss, whispering in my ear, "This is where I want to be, I want to watch you fly, Bo and we can't do that in the city."

And learn how to fly I did, Lauren and I would go every weekend to the airfield where our fates aligned. I would have a lesson and then she and I would drive around the countryside, taking the long way back home. Talking, laughing, and learning more about each other. Lauren was my first passenger two months ago when I got my license and I took her up in a P-51 Mustang and as we banked over the Cliffs of Dover, she told me she finally understood my love of flight. I then told her that she was the one person I would love more than any airplane, and silently I decided that she was the one.

Yes we still bickered like idiots, had bouts of sassing each other to hell and back, but it was clear we were meant to be and nothing would break us apart. We were truly meant for each other, the good, the bad, and the ugly. There was no one else I wanted to be with other than the blonde bootlegger who stole my heart while throwing grapes at the back of my head.

I glanced out the window, the sun doing very little to improve my mood, I frowned, reaching for the square of metal I had harvested from the Spitfire. I needed to cut a new piece of metal to replace it and hoped Roger would help me. I went to shuffle away the day's drawings to go to lunch, when Roger appeared at the door, knocking lightly with a package in his hand, "Bo?"

I smiled at the man, "Roger."

He smiled back, entering my office, "Betsy dropped this off at my office on accident. I think she needs new glasses."

"She needs to retire, the woman is almost eighty." I stood up, reaching for the package, grinning when I saw Roxie's bubbly handwriting.

Roger tucked his hands in his pockets, "Betsy is still one of our better secretaries, well when she can actually see which phone to answer." He nodded at the package, "Roxie sent you another Queen shaped teapot?"

I laughed, shaking my head, "No, something better." I tore open the box, lifting out the bubble wrapped square and removing the plastic to reveal a glass bottle with a torn paper label. I held it up in the light, "This, Roger, is one of the first bottles Lauren used to bottle her very first run of bourbon over ten years ago." I smirked at the man, "I had Roxie bribe her boyfriend Tony to go digging in the distillery basement in New York for this."

Roger stared at me blankly, "And you're going to turn it into a flower vase?"

I shook my head, setting the bottle down on the desk and reaching for my notebook. "I have an idea, Roger and I need your help." I handed him the notebook, "I heard you are a bit of a glass blower on the side?"

He nodded, flipping open the notebook, "I am. I do it for fun, but all of my projects are end up being great paperweights rather than vases or glassware." He paused when he saw the drawing I had been working, his face splitting into a grin. He looked up at me, "You want to make her an honest woman, do you now?"

I blushed, "I do." I picked up the piece of Spitfire next to the bottle, "I want to bring the flight attendant and the bootlegger into one, and I couldn't think of a better way than to make a ring out of the Spitfire for my one true Spitfire. The one who flies my heart everyday she is around me."

Roger winked at me, "Love has made you even more brilliant, I have never seen a design like this one." He tapped the pages, "We can do this today after lunch. You can make the ring while I smelt the glass." Roger closed the book, "Might I ask how you are going to propose to the dear girl?"

I shrugged, picking up my desk phone to call Roxie, "I think I have an idea."

I waited for Roxie to answer, "Bo! I take it you got the bottle?"

"I did. Now I need you to set up a blind date for Lauren. Since she is in New York, I need PacEast to have her go to the Imperial for a casual business dinner. Very casual and you should have Tony suggest that she wear the Madonna t-shirt of mine she borrowed for the trip." I bit my bottom lip, feeling the nerves rise as I heard Roxie ask if I was going to finally pop the question. "The ring will be finished tonight."

Roxie squealed then ranted that she knew it and told me so when she set me up on that first terrible date. I hung up on her when she confirmed my travel plans, I was too leave late tonight and arrive in enough time to set up the perfect blind date for Lauren.

I let out another nervous breath and removed my suit jacket to replace it with the pullover Roger got for me to walk on the floor without the worry of sparks falling on me. I also pulled my hair back, walking towards the man, "Shall we?"

He held out his arm for me to take, "We shall."

I grinned taking his arm and allowing him to walk me down to the factory floor where I would begin making the perfect engagement ring for the woman I wanted to marry.

* * *

oooOOOOOOoooo

Go to New York she said. We'll be fine she said. Your business needs you she said. Yeah well she forgot all about the fact that I needed her and that I would miss her like crazy. Aqua Ignis was going global and this meant more travelling back and forth between England New York. Bo said she understood because my small distillery was growing and it was a wonderful thing but at the same time my life had changed. The constant travelling kept from the one place that I wanted to be. For the last year I had been able to start and maintain a relationship with someone which was a feat in and of itself but what surprised me even more was the fact that Bo continued to captivate and surprise me.

After the infamous tackling we started dating and the more of her that I saw the more I knew I was falling in love with her. Coming back to New York after spending those two weeks in England had been unbearable because not only did I miss her physical presence I missed her emotional presence as well. Bo gave me an emotional connection and support that I never thought I needed because I was happy for the most part but when we started dating I realized what I had been missing out and I missed Bo incredibly because of it. So one night, six months ago, I packed up my stuff then told Tony that I was moving to England and that I would be back in a month to work out the details to make him sole owner of Aqua Ignis. He followed me through all the rooms of my apartment to try to talk me out of this considering Bo and I had only been dating for a year. He stated that this was the honeymoon period and that within two months of living with Bo I would probably commit homicide because she would drive me crazy. But I told him that I didn't care and that if this was the honeymoon period then I wanted to be with my honey. I showed up seven hours later on Bo's doorstep. I never thought I was one for grand romantic gestures but with Bo they sort of just happened and Bo had some of her own. I grinned as I remembered the time we had at Citi field. The grin widened as I thought about what happened in the dugout. Bo was worried that we would get caught but I managed to appeal to her sense of adventure.

God I missed Bo. I took a deep breath and tried to focus on the contracts that were in front of me. They were contracts for the chain of European hotels that would now be selling the newest line of Ignis Vodka. It was a bit stronger and higher quality. Took a fortune to make but it was the best nine months of my life trying to get the formula perfect for it. Bo on the other hand was not happy about me leaving the samples in the fridge without labeling them. That was an ass chewing I'd never forget because that was pure vodka. There was no way I was going to get any work done. All my thoughts went back to Bo like how all roads led back to El Dorado. I rubbed my face. I had to get these contracts finalized before I left for Europe tomorrow. I had never missed anyone. I mean from time to time I would miss Tony when I was off doing something for the distillery or he would be missing in action due to some fling, but this was different it was like I was missing a part of myself or something. I sighed and I pulled out my keys that had the little baseball bat on it with the Mets emblazoned on one side and Bo and I's anniversary date inscribed on the other side. I smiled as I stuck the file cabinet key into the file cabinet under my desk and unlocked it then I pulled open the top draw to pull out the small green box that had a satin ribbon around, tied into a bow on the top of the box. My stomach began to rumble with nerves.

 _"Are you really going to do this? I can't believe you're going to do this. Are you seriously." Tony asked as he walked next to me. It was chilly out but not unpleasant but the signs of the coming winter were definitely in the air._

 _I took a final hit off the cigarette that I was holding between my fingers then tossed it to the ground before snubbing it out with the heel of the boot that I was wearing. I was supposed to be quitting. Bo had told me that if I quit we would go on vacation some place warm for Christmas. I didn't mind if we didn't go anywhere. As long as I was with the woman I loved it would be a great Christmas no matter what. I picked up the butt of the cigarette then tossed it in the nearest trash can before asking, "Did you bring the drawing like I asked?"_

 _Tony reached into his pocket and as he extended out the piece of paper he groaned, "Lauren marriage is forever. You're a year into what is your first adult relationship." He let out a frustrated breath, "I think you should wait another year before proposing. I mean you two do argue like cats and dogs. So what's not to say that you two will have an epic argument and you will fall back into your old ways?"_

 _I stopped walking and turned to look at him, "No I will not do that to Bo. I love her Tony. No matter how many arguments we have or snide comments we make towards each other it doesn't change how I feel about her nor will I run to some co-ed." I took a deep breath and smiled, "No co-ed can make me feel the way she makes me feel. So yes, Tony, I'm going to be doing this and you're going to jump on board with it because you like Bo despite the fact that you annoy the piss out of her."_

 _Tony looked at her for a moment then he grinned, "She did call me an annoying blighter and how she wished you had better friends."_

 _I chuckled because I had been surprised when Bo had called him that when we all had been out to dinner one night. Normally Bo held her tongue for mine and Roxie's sake but that night Tony had managed to get under her skin. But Tony knew he was any annoying shit so he remarked that she had lasted longer than most people who met him. "I think she had been dying to call you a blighter for the longest time."_

 _He slung his arm around my shoulders and remarked, "At least your girlfriend is picking up the local culture over there in jolly old England." Tony gave me a quick squeeze then dropped his arm, "I'm proud of you Lauren. The fact that I was moving onto that next stage in life and you weren't had me worried. Though you living life like Hugh Hefner sounded like a good way for me to live vicariously through you. Bo's a lucky woman and the fact that you want to make an honest woman out of her screams volumes about how much you've changed to make this work." He took a deep breath then smiled at me, "So let's go get your girl a ring."_

We went to the boutique in Soho when I had first gotten back to New York and they had it ready to go for me yesterday. The ring was a white gold band with a two carat black diamond in the middle and there were two small white diamonds on the corner of the black diamond. It was a steep purchase but Bo was worth every penny of it. I had it all planned out. I was going to have Bo take me on a flight before the sunset and I was going to have one of the guys at the hangar light a bunch of candles in the field that Bo would be able to see on our approach to landing. I just hope she wouldn't lose control of the plane when she saw the proposal. My office door opened and when Tony walked in he grinned, "Getting cold feet?"

I smiled at the box in my hand, "Never. I'm just nervous. I never thought I would propose to someone."

Tony chuckled and commented, "Me neither but hey there's a first time for everything." He got a cheeky grin on his face, "At least you have practice for the next time."

I put the ring back in my file cabinet and as I locked it I sighed, "I hate you so much sometimes." I leaned back in my office chair, "What's up?"

He leaned against the doorframe and smiled, "Good news or bad news first?"

I groaned and said, "Tony I wanted to leave for England. I have the guys at the hangar doing everything for Bo's proposal."

Tony sucked air in through his teeth then said, "Sorry Chief. But our biggest contract, PacEast, is having an informal get together at the Imperial because they exclusively sell our liquor so they wanted to have the get together there to showcase it to some of their partners. It's happening tomorrow."

I closed my eyes and let out an aggravated breath before saying, "You've got to be fucking kidding me."

"Afraid not. And they want you there because you are the woman that's the face of the distillery." I heard him walk over to my chair and he gave me a reassuring pat on the shoulder, "Think of it this way. At least this venture is a lot more successful than your ranching idea."

I laughed. When I had moved to England I worked at the local cattle farm thinking I would try out my dream before I bought the farm down the road from Bo's house. I barely lasted a day. Three hours after shoveling cow shit I called Tony and told him we would have to work out something because I wasn't built for manual labor. I took a deep breath and sighed, "I guess one more day won't hurt anything."

Tony chuckled, "It'll give you time to work out what you're going to say."

"I'm not saying anything. We're flying over a field and she's reading lit candles. Saves me the embarrassment of saying something stupid." I said as I stood up from my desk. I was going to walk the floor because there was no way I could focus on paperwork. I'd probably give Bo a call.

He snapped and said, "Can I get your file cabinet keys real fast? I need the contract for the hotel chain. Jen wants to go over it to make sure everything is on the up and up for it internationally."

I handed him my keys then pointed at him, "Lock it back up. If someone steals Bo's ring I'm killing you."

Tony held up his index and middle finger and smiled, "I lock it back up. Scouts honor."

"You were never a scout." I told him as I walked out of my office. Stupid necessary evils ruining my plan to propose to Bo. I was going to beat Friedrich up the next time I saw him. Maybe I'll see him at this stupid showcase at Imperial.

* * *

oooOOOOOoooo

One vodka mule, two vodka mule, three.

I was beyond nervous, I was petrified and almost drunk, but reigned in my nervous drinking to nursing the last one the bartender I vaguely remembered seeing the first time I had been at Imperial on that fateful day, served me.

The airplane wheels barely touched the ground at LaGuardia before I was running through the terminal towards Roxie, shouting a quick hello at her followed by a hurry the hell up and get the car. I was late three hours due to a squall hanging over the Atlantic as we approached New Jersey. If I wasn't such the meticulous planner, I would have panicked, but luckily I had Roxie in my back pocket. She did the last minute setups I sent from the air and as I stood in the far corner of the outdoor patio, I scanned the room, waiting and plucking at the Guns and Roses t-shirt while I twirled the watered down mule.

My phone beeped, a text from Roxie telling me that the eagle had landed made my nerves rise to sit at the back of my throat as I looked towards the entrance. Grinning like a lottery winner watching Lauren walk into the room with the grumpiest, shittiest looks on her face. The plan was working beautifully, she was thrown off and would not suspect anything.

I tucked up further into the corner, watching from the shadows as the hostess took Lauren to the same table we shared a year and a half ago. I sighed looking over how gorgeous my girlfriend was even when she was pissed off, wearing my Madonna shirt she claimed I had lost in the laundry when I called her two days to go asking where it was. Her hair was down, the night breeze teasing strands in her face as she sat down and smiled tightly to thank the hostess.

I continued staring at the woman I was about to ask to marry me, my stomach turning into a full blown hurricane of feelings. Lauren was my everything, my heart, my soul, my constant irritation, my grounding force, my equal, my lover and my best friend and if it wasn't for the fact I wanted to surprise her, I would have ran over right this moment and proposed.

But I had a plan, and I rarely deviated from plans.

I stayed in my shadow, shoving a hand in the pocket of my jeans to palm the round ring box before pulling it out to take one more look at the unusual ring Roger and I made. It had come out perfect, the Spitfire metal seemed to know what I wanted and shaped itself in the forge, eagerly accepting the glass dropped into it by Roger's expert delicate hand. We both opted to leave the ring as it was, not extra polishing or removing the tiny flaws or bumps in the metal and glass, Roger telling me that it was a perfect example of Lauren and I, two strong elements brought together by the force of love to exist as one.

I bit my bottom lip trying to hold back the tears of happiness, closing the ring box up and shoving it away. Blowing out a quick breath I turned to look at Lauren and wait a few more minutes for the perfect moment to strike.

Lauren sat, sipping on her drink, tapping the menu and playing with her phone. Sending me a few messages asking how I was and if I had any intentions of going to the airfield today. I ignored all of the messages, trying to adhere to the time difference and that I was supposedly still asleep in England.

I finally shut the phone off and looked up to see that one skinny hipster waitress that offered her vagina up as an appetizer in front of me on that first terrible blind date, swagger over to Lauren with a flrity smile. My jealousy spiked when her black painted finger nailed hand dared to set upon the shoulder of my Lauren.

I held back, watching for Lauren's reaction, relaxing when she politely removed the girls hand from her shoulder with a thanks no thanks smile. Taking a step out of the shadows, I abandoned my drink to head towards the table.

"Lauren, I haven't seen you around lately? Where have you been? I've missed seeing your face here and there."

I gagged hearing the sickening attempt to be sensual from the girl and continued to move closer.

"Um, I have been busy with work and I don't live in the city anymore, Sam." Lauren's voice was filled with awkwardness, embarrassment and it made me smile. "I'm only here for a work thing then I'm heading home." She cleared her throat, looking around the patio, hoping to find Friedrich or anyone from PacEast.

The girl went to sit down, determined to win Lauren over, "Are you free tonight? I get off in an hour, maybe we can get drinks?"

Lauren swallowed hard, her jaw clenching when I broke through the last of the crowd to stand at the opposite edge of the table, I cleared my throat, "You must be Madonna, my date?"

Lauren's head shot up, her eyes falling to mine in mild shock and surprise before they began to smile well before one graced her lips. It was the one thing I loved about the woman, well my favorite thing. The way her eyes would light up and smile when she saw me, they always revealed her true feelings. I could always tell when she was done being irritated or mad at me in one look, those big brown eyes sparkling like they held the ocean. God, was she hot and good lord did I love her.

She dipped her head, "And you must be mine, Guns and Roses." She laughed softly before looking back up at me, "Sorry Sam, I can't do drinks tonight or ever."

The girl gave me a dirty look, "Lauren, this lady has been creeping in the corner all night, leering at me and nursing one drink."

Lauren stood up, giving the girl a dirty look, "This creepy lady is my amazing girlfriend Bo, the woman I live with in England and the reason why you should probably leave right now before I tell Devin to fire you for flirting with customers."

The hipster girl's face turned a whiter shade of pale that even her pale makeup would be jealous of, turned on her flat soled ballet slipper and disappeared without another word.

I sighed, opening my mouth to make a snide comment when Lauren grabbed my face and pulled me in for an earth shattering kiss. Sucking all the air and thoughts out of my head.

When we parted, I licked my lips, "You even stole my lips gloss?"

Lauren smirked, "No comment." She looked over my face like she hadn't seen it in months, "God I missed you." She squinted, leaning back, "Wait, why are you here and wearing my Guns and Roses shirt?"

I kissed her once more, taking her hand in mine, I lead her to sit down at the table, "I am here because I miss you like crazy and that I had something I needed to do that couldn't wait another five days before you were home."

I sucked in a steadying breath as Lauren sat, giving me a confused shitty look, "If you're going to lecture me about the vodka samples, you told me the garage fridge was okay. I even labeled them." She squinted at me harder, "Are you made about my terrible attempts at sexting you yesterday while you were in the budget meeting?"

I blew out a laugh, shaking my head, "No to both, even though we do need to work on your sexting. A show me your boobs text isn't the way to get me in the mood." I glanced up at the woman, wide eyed and still confused, so I opted to change the subject immediately before her verbal diarrhea problem took over. "Lauren, you remember that first date?" I motioned to our shirts, "Where everything went tits up and made me think that a pap smear root canal duo would be far better than ever having to see you again?"

Lauren frowned, "Yes, but I don't exactly remember it like that." She grabbed my hand, her fingers finding their home in mine, "It was a disaster, yes, but it was the worst best blind date ever, because it led me to you." She ran her thumb over my knuckles, "Why are you in New York City, Bo? Tony said this was a casual dinner meeting for a possible merger."

I smiled, nodding and trying so hard to stay on task, "It is." I dug out the ring box, quickly setting it on the table between us, "Lauren."

She interrupted me, glaring at the ring box, "Is that a real coconut? Bo you of all people know about how coconuts and I…."

"Will you shut up for a hot second?" I rolled my eyes, "It's not a real coconut, it's a fake one. A vintage ring box I found in Carter's attic last week while helping him clean and thought it was fitting since it took a coconut for me to admit to myself a few things."

Lauren glared at me, "A ring box?"

"Yes a ring box." I sighed hard, "Lauren Lewis, we met a year and a half a go on this patio over drinks. You insulted me, I overreacted, but as I walked away, you stuck in my ribs right around my heart and no matter how hard I tried. I couldn't and didn't want to get rid of you. You've thrown food at me, thrown up on me, flown across the world to be with me and given me your heart." I bit my bottom lip, "This last year has been incredible and I have fallen more in love with you than I ever thought imaginable and I know that I want you for the rest of my life." I removed my hand from hers, moving to open the ring box and pull out the steel and glass ring. I picked up her left hand, "Lauren Lewis, I love you. I love you more than airplanes and I want you by my side for better or for worse, so will you marry me?"

I held up the ring, looking into the bright brown eyes blinking between mine and the ring, waiting for her to answer or at least say something as the air grew thicker.

* * *

oooOOOOoooo

Flabbergasted. No stunned. No speechless. No I was all three of them as I looked at the unique ring that rested in the soft cushions of the coconut ring box. It was beautiful and the way the metal and glass worked together for make the ring caused me to fall in love with it right away. Of course my brain backfired and lost connection with my mouth. I looked at Bo who had a wide smile on her face while brown, expecting eyes anxiously awaited my answer. Though the words that fell out of my mouth probably weren't the ones she was expecting. "You asshole." I whispered as I began to shake my head.

Bo got a confused look on her face and said, "Pardon me? And are you declining my proposal?"

I looked at with a peculiar look on my face and countered, "No I'm not declining your proposal."

"But you haven't accepted it."

I chuckled and tears came to my eyes so I began to wave my hand in front of my face. After fighting off the tears I grinned, "I was going to come home tomorrow and propose to you, you asshole. But in true Bo fashion, and ever jumping the gun, you beat me to it."

Bo smiled and asked, "You were going to propose to me?"

I waved my hand in the air and said, "Yeah but you know me I would have managed to screw it up. So it's best that you beat me to it."

Bo's eyes shimmered with tears and I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. How I managed to get lucky and not lose this woman was beyond me was something I would never understand but I wasn't going to thank the fates and continue on with my life with her. I took a deep breath then motioned towards her, "Ask me again." Bo raised an eyebrow and my smile widened, "Ask me to marry you again."

Bo held up the ring and as she slid it on the ring finger of my left hand she asked, "Will you, the ever unpredictable, but lovable, Lauren Lewis, marry me?"

I was certain Bo could see my back molars because of how huge my smile was but I said, "Yes Bo. I will marry you."

Bo jumped up from her seat and she moved over to my chair then pulled me up from my seat. I wrapped my arms around her neck and our lips met for the sweetest, heart soaring of kisses that held the promise of forever in it. And I couldn't wait. I gave her one final kiss then rested my forehead on hers and smirked, "I'm so glad I got you to pull that stick from your ass."

Bo laughed and hugged me tight before we kissed again.

THE END :)


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